Performance of HCV and HIV-1 Nucleic Acid Amplification Test(NAT) in Korean Blood Donors.
- Author:
Dong Hee SEO
1
;
Byung Gap HWANG
;
Young Sook PARK
;
Young Chul OH
;
Sang In KIM
Author Information
1. Blood Transfusion Research Institute, The Republic of Korea National Red Cross.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
NAT;
Blood screening;
COBAS Amplicor
- MeSH:
Blood Donors*;
Blood Safety;
False Positive Reactions;
HIV;
HIV-1*;
Humans;
Mass Screening;
Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques;
Sensitivity and Specificity;
Tissue Donors
- From:Korean Journal of Blood Transfusion
2000;11(2):91-97
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: There is still risk of acquiring HCV and HIV by transfusion due to window phase. Screening for HCV and HIV-1 by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) may improve blood safety allowing detection during the preseroconversion window in donors. METHODS: We investigated NAT usefulness using COBAS AMPLICOR analyzer (Roche). The following sample population were tested:1) 15,552 HCV/HIV-1 seronegative random blood donor samples for HCV and HIV-1 NAT;2) 696 high ALT and 271 HCV EIA positive samples for HCV NAT;3) 1,152 HIV-1 EIA reactive samples for HIV-1 NAT. NAT was performed on pools of 24 donations according to the assay protocol. RESLUTS: Six pools showed initial reactive reactions in HCV NAT and one pool showed initial reactive reaction in HIV-1 NAT. But no donor sample was found repeatedly reactive by this assay. CONCLUSIONS: Although there were false positive reactions, specificity of the NAT assay was high enough for the assay to be applied as a blood screening test and implementation of this assay is expected to improve blood safety and be useful for blood products use.