Article
Review Article

*Neki NS, ** Divyang M. Shah,**Maninder Singh 

Department of Medicine, Government Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab

Corresponding author:

Dr N S Neki Professor of Medicine Govt Medical College and Guru Nanak Dev Hospital Amritsar 143 001 drneki123@gmail.com. 

Year: 2014, Volume: 4, Issue: 2, Page no. 85-92,
Views: 516, Downloads: 3
Licensing Information:
CC BY NC 4.0 ICON
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.
Abstract

Blood safety is jeopardized by multiple and diverse factors, including the predominance of high-risk family/replacement donors and the high prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). Thus, stringent diagnostic strategies are vital. Western blotting is costly and technically demanding, and nucleic acid testing technologies, which have been reported to reliably reduce the rate of TTI, are not available in resource-limited settings. Therefore, there is a need for reliable and affordable testing alternatives in these settings. Rapid diagnostic testing has been widely adopted in developing countries, but, for effectiveness in blood safety, highly sensitive tests and the strict selection of low-risk blood donors are indispensable. Although the pre-serological window period remains a source of residual risk for transmission of TTIs during blood transfusion, the combination antigen–antibody rapid tests could contribute significantly to shortening the window period. Thus, despite its limitations, rapid diagnostic testing continues to contribute significantly to blood safety, as a cost-effective means of enhancing screening for TTIs and reducing their transmission in resource-limited rural settings. 

<p>Blood safety is jeopardized by multiple and diverse factors, including the predominance of high-risk family/replacement donors and the high prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). Thus, stringent diagnostic strategies are vital. Western blotting is costly and technically demanding, and nucleic acid testing technologies, which have been reported to reliably reduce the rate of TTI, are not available in resource-limited settings. Therefore, there is a need for reliable and affordable testing alternatives in these settings. Rapid diagnostic testing has been widely adopted in developing countries, but, for effectiveness in blood safety, highly sensitive tests and the strict selection of low-risk blood donors are indispensable. Although the pre-serological window period remains a source of residual risk for transmission of TTIs during blood transfusion, the combination antigen&ndash;antibody rapid tests could contribute significantly to shortening the window period. Thus, despite its limitations, rapid diagnostic testing continues to contribute significantly to blood safety, as a cost-effective means of enhancing screening for TTIs and reducing their transmission in resource-limited rural settings.&nbsp;</p>
Keywords
HBV, HCV, HIV, Rapid diagnostic testing resource-limited setting, Syphilis
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