Não comparecimento de doadores inaptos sorológicos para repetição dos testes: o que fazer?: [carta ao editor] / Nonappearance of ineligible blood donors for follow-up testing: what should be done?: [letter to editor]

ABSTRACT

In Brazil, the use of confirmatory or complementary tests isoptional for blood banks; however it is their responsibility tocontact donors with reagent tests and refer them to appropriateservices to confirm diagnosis and for treatment. In the UberabaBlood Bank (Hemominas), all donors with positive results forserological screening tests are requested, by mail, to return andrepeat the tests. In a study at this blood bank, it was noted that alarge percentage of donors with reagent serology for hepatitis Cin the first analysis (23.3%) did not return to the service for repeattests. Among the donors that did not return for repeat tests, weobserved a significantly higher number of first-time donors(p=0.0039), under 30-year-old (p=0.0327) and single individuals(p=0.0062) and those who do not live in the city (p=0.0465). Nodifferences were found comparing gender and skin color. As thecontact letter does not explain why donors are asked to return fortests, the donors are unaware of the results of examinations. Thus,if they donate blood in other blood banks, they really are infectedwith the hepatitis C virus and if failure in serologic screeningoccurs, there is a possibility of disease transmission if. So whatcan be done to increase the return rate for repeat tests? We believean urgent review of the methods used to contact these donors isnecessary, which will provide better and earlier therapy to infectedindividuals and help to reduce the risk of spread of infection.