ABSTRACT
Background: NHSBT started convalescent plasma (CVP) collection in April 2020. By July, donations were prioritised from people more likely to have high antibody levels, generally males. Along with specific COVID-19 requirements, the usual donor selection criteria and screening applied. During 2020, there was concern that the number of syphilis positive CVP donors suggested higher risk sexual behaviour. Here we describe confirmed hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, HTLV and syphilis in CVP donations for April 2020 to March 2021 and compare January 2020 to December 2020 testing data in whole blood donations. Methods: CVP donations were included in the routine surveillance for infections in blood and apheresis donors. Number of CVP donations with demographics were supplied by NHSBT Statistics and Clinical Studies. Rates were calculated per 100 000 donations and compared using Fisher test. Results: Of 55 191 CVP donations 53% were from new donors and 90% by males compared with 13% and 44% respectively in 1.37 million donations from whole blood donors. Preliminary results showed 56 confirmed positive CVP donations from new donors (20 HBV, 4 HCV, 1 HIV, 0 HTLV, 30 syphilis, 1 HCV/syphilis) and 2 syphilis positive CVP donations from lapsed donors. Rate of all markers in new donations was significantly higher in CVP, 196 per 100 000 CVP donations vs 111 per 100 000 whole blood donations, but not for repeat donations. HBV and syphilis rates were higher in new CVP donations, syphillis significantly higher, while19/20 HBV and 26/31 syphilis were longstanding or past infections. Nine syphilis positive CVP donors donated despite a history of infection. Rates of syphilis acquired within12 months remained higher but not significantly different to whole blood donations. Discussion: These data provide assurance that viral infection rates mainly reflected chronic infection identified in new male donors, similar to whole blood donors. Higher rates of syphilis in new CVP donors mainly reflected past infection, a third with a known history, while rates of recent syphilis were not significantly higher. Messaging on the rationale for selection criteria and the syphilis deferral remains important to maintain safety and avoid an unusable donation, especially when recruiting new donors.