Optimal blood donation screening annotation.

<div><p>Recommendations for universal screening of patients with cancer for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are inconsistent. A recent multisite screening study (S1204) from the SWOG Cancer Research Network found that a substantial number of patients with newly diagnosed cancer had previously unknown viral infections. The objective of this study was to determine the cost-efficiency of universal screening of patients with newly diagnosed cancer. We estimated the cost-efficiency of universal screening of new cancer cases for HBV, HCV, or HIV, expressed as cost per virus detected, from the health care payer perspective. The prevalence of each virus among this cohort was derived from S1204. Direct medical expenditures included costs associated with laboratory screening tests. Costs per case detected were estimated for each screening strategy. Secondary analysis examined the cost-efficiency of screening patients whose viral status at cancer diagnosis was unknown. Among the possible options for universal screening, screening for HBV alone ($581), HCV alone ($782), HBV and HCV ($631) and HBV, HCV, and HIV ($841) were most efficient in terms of cost per case detected. When screening was restricted to patients with unknown viral status, screening for HBV alone ($684), HBV and HCV ($872), HBV and HIV ($1,157), and all three viruses ($1,291) were most efficient in terms of cost per newly detected case. Efficient viral testing strategies represent a relatively modest addition to the overall cost of managing a patient with cancer. Screening for HBV, HCV, and HIV infections may be reasonable from both a budget and clinical standpoint.</p>Significance:<p>Screening patients with cancer for HBV, HCV, and HIV is inconsistent in clinical practice despite national recommendations and known risks of complications from viral infection. Our study shows that while costs of viral screening strategies vary by choice of tests, they present a modest addition to the cost of managing a patient with cancer.</p></div>

Blood transfusion remains vital in healthcare but poses risks, particularly from transfusion-transmissible viral infections (TTVIs). This study aims to determine the seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV among blood donors in Borgou (Benin) in 2023. This prospective, cross-sectional study involved voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors recruited via mobile campaigns and at a fixed site from January to December 2023. Screening for HIV, HBV, and HCV was performed using fourth-generation ELISA (Biorad®). Data analysis used SPSS with Chi-square test of independence (p < 0.05), and multiple logistic regression identified independent risk factors. Among 9646 donors, 87.80% were male (sex ratio 7.19), mostly aged 18-24 (55.93%), with students forming the largest group (58.67%). Mobile units collected 70.80% of donations; 52.60% were repeat donors. Overall TTVI seroprevalence was 9.35%, with HBV (6.29%) most common, followed by HCV (1.78%) and HIV (1.28%). Chi-square tests revealed significant associations between serostatus and donor status, donation site, and occupation, but not sex. Logistic regression identified independent risk factors: age, donor status, and donation site were significantly associated with HIV infection; male sex, older age, occupation, and donor status predicted HBV infection; and only donor status was significantly associated with HCV infection. These findings highlight the need for targeted recruitment and awareness strategies to improve transfusion safety.

Rethinking hepatitis C viral kinetics: Insights into host-virus interactions in ‘difficult-to-treat’ groups and implications for novel treatment approaches

New Diagnostic Strategies in Infection Safety: The (R)evolution

Objectives:To calculate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among inpatient heroin users, and to study the relationships between these infections and patient demographics.Methods:In this retrospective study, heroin users’ inpatient records from the Alamal Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were reviewed for HIV, HBV, and HCV screening results, age, number of admissions, education, and marital and occupational status. The study took place between January 2006 and November 2012. The prevalences of HIV, HBV, and HCV and their associations to demographics were evaluated.Results:A sample of 357 inpatients Saudi male heroin users (all injectors) aged 40 (±8.6) years with lifetime admissions averaged 5.8 (±5) times were studied. Screening results revealed that 20.1% of subjects were infection-free, 56.6% had a single infection, 13.2% were infected by 2 viruses, and 1.1% were infected by 3 viruses. Prevalence of HBV surface antigen was 7.7%, antibodies for HCV 77.8%, and HIV 9.8%. A significant association was found between positive HCV and positive HIV tests. Furthermore, HCV was more common among patients aged 20-29 years, those who were unemployed, and who had primary, secondary, or postsecondary education. Finally, HBV was associated in patients aged 30-39 years and those with secondary educations.Conclusion:Contracting serious contagious viral infections is very common among Saudi heroin injectors at rates similar to those seen among injectors in Western countries. Infection control, education, and harm reduction programs are of paramount importance.

To assess the rate and determinants of sharp injuries during the previous 6 months among health care workers at first-level care facilities in two districts of Pakistan. Cross-sectional survey at public, general practitioners and non-licensed private practitioners selected through stratified random sampling. At each facility, we interviewed a prescriber and a dispenser/injection provider about knowledge of bloodborne pathogens transmission and preventive practices, risk perception, and use of precautions and sharp injuries received during the previous 6 months. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to assess the factors associated with the number of sharp injuries. Fifty-four percentage of the 233 workers had at least one injury during the previous 6 months. The overall rate of sharp injuries per person per year was 3.7; among non-physician prescribers (9%), it was 4.3; among dispensers (69%), it was 3.7, and among physicians (18%), it was 2.1. In the multivariable model, work experience, risk perception and type of health care worker were significantly associated with receiving sharp injuries during the previous 6 months. In the model including dispensers only, a higher knowledge score was associated with fewer sharp injuries, while perceived severity of disease and lack of professional qualification were associated with more. Sharp injuries are common in Pakistan. Better knowledge about modes of bloodborne pathogen transmission and professional qualification may reduce their incidence.

Are HIV-infected patients candidates for liver transplantation?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEThe risk of blood-borne infections, especially hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection still remains in developing countries among children receiving blood products as hemophiliacs, but the risk is not known in Egypt. The objective of this study was to detect the prevalence of HCV and HIV infection among hemophiliac children to know the magnitude of the problem and determine potential risk factors.PATIENTS AND METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study conducted on 100 hemophiliac children that assessed the liver clinically and by laboratory tests. All children were screened for HCV and HIV antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Those with positive HCV antibody titre were tested by polymerase chain reaction (HCV-PCR).RESULTSForty were positive for HCV antibodies with 19 children (47.5%) HCV-PCR positive as well. The mean age, average frequency of bleeds/year, dose of replacement therapy/year and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly high in HCV-antibody and PCR positive patients as compared to HCV antibody and PCR negative ones. None of our patients had clinical evidence of hepatic involvement or was co-infected with HIV.CONCLUSIONHIV infection does not appear to be a current health problem in Egyptian hemophiliac children though the prevalence of HCV infection is still high.

Background: Blood transfusion is a critical, life-saving medical intervention performed worldwide. However, it carries potential risks, including the transmission of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), particularly viral hepatitis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are significant causes of liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections among blood donors at Dongola Hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 involving 100 voluntary blood donors. Participants were evaluated based on demographic characteristics, donation history, and risk factors such as previous surgery, tattooing or hijama (Islamic wet cupping), and history of jaundice. Screening for HBV and HCV was performed using immunochromatographic testing (ICT). Results: In this study 100 patients were the age of 61 (61%) of them 18 – 30 years old, 24 (24%) aged 31 – 40 Years, while 11(11%) aged 41- 50 years old and, 4 (4%) were aged 51 years old and older. and there are 61 (61%) of them have History of Donation, while 39 (39%) of them have no History of Blood Donation. 93 (93%) of them have Negative result of HBV Test, while 7 (7%) of them have Positive result of HBV test. 100 (100%) of them have Negative result of HCV Test. involved in this study, 2 (2%) of them have History of Tatto or Islamic Higama, while 98 (98%) of them have No History of Tatto or Islamic Higama and there are 3 (3%) of them have History of Surgery, while 97 (97%) of them have no History of Surgery. were 6 (6%) of them have History of Jaundice, while 94 (94%) of them have No History of Jaundice. in this study, 1% in Hafer and Mgaser, 3% live in Baden, Shaikh Sharive and Kmnar, 5% of them live in Altety, while 6% live in Grada, Algoled, 7% live in Aldem, 12% in Alselam, and 53% in Dongola. Conclusion: This study highlights the presence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) among blood donors at Dongola Hospital. The results suggest that although the prevalence of HCV is low in this population, HBV remains a significant concern, particularly among younger donors aged 18–30 years. The current screening method using Immunochromatographic Test (ICT) showed limitations in accuracy, indicating the necessity for more reliable diagnostic tools such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Sero-epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B and C viruses, and syphilis infections among first-time blood donors in Edéa, Cameroon

We observed an increase in the frequency of false-positive (FP) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test results that correlated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) prevalence. We measured FP rates of laboratory-based fourth-generation HIV antigen/antibody test among those with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 compared with FP rate of those who tested SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative. All patients PCR tested for SARS-CoV-2 within 2 weeks of an HIV fourth-generation assay were selected. Positive HIV fourth-generation assays were reviewed and divided into groups of FP, true positive (TP), and presumptive negative (PN). Variables included age, race, ethnicity, gender, pregnancy, and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) immunization status. Associations with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests were assessed using linear logistic regression. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess sets of variables. There were 31 910 medical records that met criteria. The frequency of SARS-CoV-2 positive tests was calculated in groups of HIV TP, FP, and PN. In total, 31 575 patients had PN HIV test result, 248 patients had TP, and 87 patients had FP. Those with HIV FP tests had the highest percentage of COVID-19-positive test results at 19.5%, which was significantly higher than HIV PN (11.3%; P = .016) and HIV TP (7.7%; P = .002). After adjustment for all covariates, only FP HIV was significantly associated with COVID-19 (odds ratio, 4.22; P = .001). This study reveals that patients with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests are significantly more likely to have an FP fourth-generation HIV test than those with negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests.

Prevention, screening and diagnostic services for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can prevent morbidity and mortality in people receiving HIV care. However, there is limited information about the availability of HBV and HCV services at HIV clinics globally. The International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) conducted surveys of service delivery and practices at participating HIV treatment centers from seven regions. We used 2023 survey data to measure availability of HBV vaccination, HBV and HCV screening, HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), HBV DNA, HCV antibody, HCV RNA testing. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test associations of site characteristics with HBV and HCV services. HBV vaccination was available on-site at 67.7% of 204 HIV treatment sites. Screening for HBV and HCV at HIV care enrollment was reported by 72.1% and 50% of sites, respectively. HBsAg, HBV DNA, HCV antibody and HCV RNA testing were available on-site at 77%, 47.6%, 61.8% and 44.6% of sites, respectively. Sites serving predominately rural (vs. urban) populations were less likely to report on-site availability of HBV DNA (odds ratio (OR):0.07; 95% confidence interval (CI):0.01-0.68;P=0.02), HCV antibody (OR=0.18; 95% CI:0.04-0.92;P=0.04) and HCV RNA (OR=0.10; 95% CI:0.01-0.90;P=0.04) testing. Life-saving services such as HBV vaccination, HBsAg and HCV antibody testing were available on-site at most HIV treatment sites participating in the IeDEA network. Lower availability at rural sites suggests that expansion of services is important to eliminate HBV and HCV as public health problems in people receiving HIV care.

1094 THE PREVALENCE AND EXPOSURE RISK OF HEPATITIS C AND HIV INFECTION IN UROLOGICAL PROCEDURES

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are major blood-borne pathogens responsible for significant global morbidity and mortality. Accurate and early diagnosis is essential for initiating timely treatment and reducing disease transmission. The World Health Organization has highlighted the need for diagnostic tools that are affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid, and robust, particularly in resource-limited settings. This study evaluates the clinical performance of a combined polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection and viral load quantification assay for HBV DNA, HCV RNA, and HIV RNA (HHH assay) using the GeneNAT 300/340 Real-Time PCR System (Genetix Biotech Asia Pvt. Ltd., India) as the test assay. Its performance was compared with established reference assays: the COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® v2.0 (Roche Diagnostics, USA) for HBV and HCV quantification as comparator assay 1 and the Xpert® HIV Viral Load assay (Cepheid, USA) for HIV RNA quantification as comparator assay 2. Methodology A retrospective analysis was conducted using 110 anonymized, de-identified archived plasma samples collected at a tertiary liver care center in India. The cohort comprised a study group of 53 confirmed viral load-positive samples (20 HBV, 18 HCV, and 15 HIV) and a control group of 57 samples negative for HBV, HCV, and HIV infection. For evaluation of diagnostic performance, all archived specimens were tested in parallel using the GeneNAT 300/340 Real-Time PCR System as test assay and the established reference assays: COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® v2.0 for HBV and HCV viral load quantification as comparator assay 1, and the Xpert® HIV Viral Load assay for HIV RNA quantification as comparator assay 2. Results The GeneNAT 300/340 Real-Time PCR assay demonstrated 100% concordance with the comparator assays 1 and 2, with no false-positive or false-negative results observed. The assay achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity for all three infections and delivered results within approximately 60 minutes. Conclusions The GeneNAT 300/340 Real-Time PCR assay shows significant potential to strengthen diagnostic capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Its ease of use, rapid turnaround time, and robust performance make it a strong candidate for broader implementation, including screening in blood banks and peripheral healthcare settings as part of a decentralized diagnostic approach. However, larger-scale prospective studies are required to further establish its clinical utility, cost-effectiveness, and feasibility for widespread adoption.

Background: Although transmission of pathogenic viruses through human tissue grafts is rare, it is still one of the most serious dreaded risks of transplantation. Therefore, in addition to the detailed medical and social history, a comprehensive serologic and molecular screening of the tissue donors for relevant viral markers for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is necessary. In the case of reactive results in particular, clear decisions regarding follow-up testing and the criteria for tissue release must be made. Methods: Based on the clinical relevance of the specific virus markers, the sensitivity of the serological and molecular biological methods used and the application of inactivation methods, algorithms for tissue release are suggested. Results: Compliance with the preanalytical requirements and assessment of a possible hemodilution are mandatory requirements before testing the blood samples. While HIV testing follows defined algorithms, the procedures for HBV and HCV diagnostics are under discussion. Screening and decisions for HBV are often not as simple, e.g., due to cases of occult HBV infection, false-positive anti-HBc results, or early window period positive HBV NAT results. In the case of HCV diagnostics, modern therapies with direct-acting antivirals, which are often associated with successful treatment of the infection, should be included in the decision. Conclusion: In HBV and HCV testing, a high-sensitivity virus genome test should play a central role in diagnostics, especially in the case of equivocal serology, and it should be the basis for the decision to release the tissue. The proposed test algorithms and decisions are also based on current European recommendations and standards for safety and quality assurance in tissue and cell banking.