       Document 0884
 DOCN  M9620884
 TI    Infectious disease testing for blood transfusions.
 DT    9602
 SO    NIH Consens Statement. 1995 Jan 9-11;13(1):1-27. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96071854
 AB    OBJECTIVE. To provide physicians and other transfusion medicine
       professionals with a current consensus on infectious disease testing for
       blood transfusions. PARTICIPANTS. A non-Federal, nonadvocate, 12-member
       consensus panel representing the fields of hematology, infectious
       disease, transfusion medicine, epidemiology, and biostatistics and a
       public representative. In addition, 23 experts in hematology,
       cardiology, transfusion medicine, infectious disease, and epidemiology
       presented data to the consensus panel and a conference audience of 450.
       EVIDENCE. The literature was searched through Medline and an extensive
       bibliography of references was provided to the panel and the conference
       audience. Experts prepared abstracts with relevant citations from the
       literature. Scientific evidence was given precedence over clinical
       anecdotal experience. CONSENSUS. The panel, answering predefined
       consensus questions, developed their conclusions based on the scientific
       evidence presented in open forum and the scientific literature.
       CONSENSUS STATEMENT. The panel composed a draft statement that was read
       in its entirety and circulated to the experts and the audience for
       comment. Thereafter, the panel resolved conflicting recommendations and
       released a revised statement at the end of the conference. The panel
       finalized the revisions within a few weeks after the conference.
       CONCLUSIONS. The serum alanine aminotransferase test should be
       discontinued as a surrogate marker for blood donors likely to transmit
       posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis infection since specific
       hepatitis C anti-body testing has eliminated more than 85 percent of
       these cases. Anti-hepatitis B core antigen testing should continue as it
       may prevent some cases of posttransfusion hepatitis B; it also may act
       as a surrogate marker for HIV infection in donors and may prevent a
       small number of cases of transfusion-transmitted HIV infection. Syphilis
       testing should continue until adequate data can determine its effect on
       the rarity of transfusion-transmitted syphilis. Vigilant public health
       surveillance is critical in responding to emerging infectious disease
       threats to the blood supply.
 DE    Alanine Aminotransferase/BLOOD  Blood Banks/STANDARDS  *Blood Donors
       *Blood Transfusion  Communicable Disease Control/METHODS  Communicable
       Diseases/*DIAGNOSIS/TRANSMISSION  Hepatitis B Antibodies/BLOOD
       Hepatitis B Core Antigens/IMMUNOLOGY  Human  Syphilis/DIAGNOSIS
       CONSENSUS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE  CONSENSUS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE, NIH
       JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

