The NDR donors had a substantially higher rate of anti-HBc reactivity than other blood donors indicating that some with anti-HBc reactivity represent donors with occult HBV. Therefore, the incorporation of an anti-HBc testing for NDR donors could improve blood safety testing for the Korean Red Cross.

Background: Currently, serological assay, immunoblotting, and nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) are required as reentry tests for deferred donors with hepatitis C virus (HCV) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening reactive result. However, immunoblotting must be performed even for serological nonreactive donors. In this study, the efficacy of immunoblot applications for serological nonreactive donors in donor reentry procedures was examined. Methods: We analyzed non-qualified donors with immunoblot results from 2011 to 2015 in Korea and investigated reentry procedures related with HCV or HIV in other countries. Results: Percentages of donors who could not be released due to immunoblot results even with serological nonreactive results were 54.2% (1,824/3,367) for HCV and 35.9% (4,300/11,964). In the case of 662 donors, their results were considered to be different using other assay kits or based on other criteria. In other countries, immunoblotting is not required as a donor reentry test. Conclusion: Indeterminate or reactive immunoblotting results in serological nonreactive donors were due to nonspecific reactions. It is not reasonable to apply immunoblotting to serological nonreactive donors. Therefore, we suggest that immunoblot assays be excluded from the reentry test. (Korean J Blood Transfus 2016;27:274-284)

No abstract