Analysis of the Effectiveness of Blotting Assays for Donor Blood Screening

Oh, Deok Ja; Kang, Jae Won; Park, Yoon Mee

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Immunoblot assays (IBAs) have been widely used to confirm the reactivity of immunoassay. However, indeterminate (ID) results have shown the limits for interpreting IBAs. There is some debate about the benefit of these assays. We assessed the actual status of the IBAs for the donor screening process and we proposed more available algorithms.
METHODS
We analyzed the data from the blood information management system of the Korean Red Cross. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the KRC. The analyzed data included the present condition of various utilities and the results of the IBAs in the world.
RESULTS
The infectivity of the ID results in IBAs seemed not to be high, but the safety could not be assured. IBA for HTLV was used as a confirmatory test in many countries. Most of the eligible blood donors could be saved by IBAs.
CONCLUSION
IBAs seem to be valuable methods as supplemental and follow up tests for ID results. Furthermore, IBAs were useful to distinguish eligible blood donors. When donors show positive results on an immunoassay and NAT (HIV and HCV) concurrently, then IBA does not seem to be required. Only a RIBA for HCV is recommended for the donors showing a S/CO ratio above 2.0 on immunoassay. The additional alternative immunoassay would be effective in the HTLV screening algorithm.