Use of nucleic acid testing for blood donor screening of Human Immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis C virus in the Saudi population

Authors

• Javed Akhter, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (MBC 10), King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, PO Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 (1) 464 7272 Ext. 35890. Fax. +966 (1) 442 4331.
• George T. Roberts, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Angela Perry, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Julie S. Gaucher, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Peter A. Howman, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of transfusion associated infection for human immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis C virus using nucleic acid testing. METHODS: During March 1998, 400 donor blood samples from the Saudi population that were negative by serology were further tested for human immunodeficiency virus 1 and 2 and Hepatitis C virus using nucleic acid testing. RESULTS: A total of 400 were tested by nucleic acid testing, 381 of these were negative, 4 were indeterminate but were found to be negative on repeat testing and one seronegative sample was found to be positive for Hepatitis C virus. CONCLUSION: Due to the low prevalence of human immuno-deficiency virus in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, nucleic acid testing of blood donors by serology is adequate for screening. But the higher prevalence of Hepatitis C virus and increased risk of transmission would indicate that nucleic acid testing may be warranted for Hepatitis C virus in the near future.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

1073

Last Page

1075

Recommended Citation

Akhter, Javed; Roberts, George T.; Perry, Angela; Gaucher, Julie S.; and Howman, Peter A. (2001) "Use of nucleic acid testing for blood donor screening of Human Immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis C virus in the Saudi population," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 22: Iss. 12, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/1658-3175.1560