[Is syphilis test necessary in blood donors?]. / ¿Son necesarios los estudios de sífilis en los donadores de sangre?

BACKGROUND: A syphilis test is performed in blood donors because the national transfusion law makes it mandatory, nevertheless the blood has not been found as an important vehicle of transmission for Treponema pallidum infection. Our objective was to know the prevalence of syphilis in blood donors. METHODS: we reviewed tests from blood donors of the "Banco Central de Sangre del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI" in two periods, the first from July 2001 to April 2003, and the second from March 2005 to June 2006. Both groups went through screening tests, such as VDRL or USR. and a second test for confirmation, FTA-ABS for the first group and TPHA for the second group. RESULTS: in the first group 111 030 blood donors were included. In this group the positive results from VDRL or USR tests were 471 (0.42 %). One hundred and ninety six were confirmed (0.17 %) with FTA-ABS. In the second group results from 80 578 blood donors were included; the positive results from VDRL or USR tests were 279 (0.34 %). In this group, only 0.08 % were confirmed for a syphilis infection.

Prevalencia de seropositividad para VIH, hepatitis B y C en donadores de sangre / Prevalence for Seropositivity for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C in Blood Donors

A pesar de las distintas medidas que se toman para brindar sangre segura durante el proceso transfusional, persiste el riesgo de transmitir alguna infección, por esta razón es importante determinar la seroprevalencia de las infecciones por el VIH y por los virus de la hepatitis B y C en los donadores de sangre. Estudios previos realizados en México, indican que para el VIH la seroprevalencia se encuentra entre 0.01 % y 0.13%. la hepatitis B se encuentra entre 0.11 %y 1.22%. la hepatitis C se encuentra entre 0.47%y 1.47%. Se revisaron los resultados de las pruebas de tamizaje (ELISA de tercera generación y estudios de quimioluminiscencia) de los donadores estudiados en el Banco Central de Sangre del CMN Siglo XXI de 1995 al año 2002, los que resultaron reactivos fueron estudiados por técnicas confirmatorias, WesternBlot para el VM, prueba de neutralización de AgHBs para hepatitis B y RIBA-HCV3. Opara la hepatitis C. Se revisaron resultados de anticuerpos anti-VIH de 513 062 donadores, de los cuales resultaron positivos y confirmados 0.07% asi como511 733 resultados de antígeno de superficie de hepatitis B, de los cuales resultaron reactivos y confirmados 0.13% y los resultados de antihepatitis C de 511115 donadores, de los cuales fueron positivos y confirmados 0.31%. los índices encontrados son bajos en comparación con los reportados en estudios realizados en nuestro país para anticuerpos de VIH, para AgHBs y para anticuerpos de Hepatitis C. Es muy probable que estos índices bajos reflejen el impacto positivo de la implementación de medidas preventivas, mejores estrategias de detección de donadores con riesgo y la ventaja de trabajar con equipos altamente automatizados que manejan tecnología de punta.

Despite utilizing different actions to render blood safe for transfusions, we continue to have the risk of transmitting some viral infections. For this reason, it is important to determine prevalence of infections due to HIV and hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses in blood donors. Previous studies from México indicate that HIV prevalence is 0.01 to 0.13%, while it is 0.11 to 1.22% for hepatitis B, and for hepatitis C, prevalence is 0.47 to 1.47%. We are checking the results of the screening tests (ELISA 3rd generation and chemiluminescent immunoassays) from blood donors studied at the Central Blood Bank (Banco Central de Sangre) at the Mexican Institute of Social Security's (IMSS) Twentieth First Century National Medical Center in Mexico City from 1995 to 2002. Reactive results were studied by confirmatory tests, Western Blot for HIV, AgHBs neutralization test for hepatitis B, and RIBA-HCV 3.0 for hepatitis C Reactive results from 513,062 blood donors confirmed for HIV were 0.07%, reactive results and confirmation of hepatitis B from 511,733 blood donors were 0.13%, and reactive results and confirmation of hepatitis C from 511,115 blood donors were 0.31%. Rates obtained are low when compared with results of previous studies in Mexico for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. It may be possible than these low rates indicate the positive impact obtained from preventive actions, better strategies of detection of blood donors with high risk, and the advantage of working with a fully automated test system with state-of-the-art technology.

[Prevalence for seropositivity for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C in blood donors]. / Prevalencia de seropositividad para VIH, hepatitis B y C en donadores de sangre.

Despite utilizing different actions to render blood safe for transfusions, we continue to have the risk of transmitting some viral infections. For this reason, it is important to determine prevalence of infections due to HIV and hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses in blood donors. Previous studies from Mexico indicate that HIV prevalence is 0.01 to 0.13%, while it is 0.11 to 1.22% for hepatitis B, and for hepatitis C, prevalence is 0.47 to 1.47%. We are checking the results of the screening tests (ELISA 3rd generation and chemiluminescent immunoassays) from blood donors studied at the Central Blood Bank (Banco Central de Sangre) at the Mexican Institute of Social Security's (IMSS) Twentieth First Century National Medical Center in Mexico City from 1995 to 2002. Reactive results were studied by confirmatory tests, Western Blot for HIV, AgHBs neutralization test for hepatitis B, and RIBA-HCV3.0 for hepatitis C. Reactive results from 513,062 blood donors confirmed for HV were 0.07%, reactive results and confirmation of hepatitis B from 511,733 blood donors were 0.13%, and reactive results and confirmation of hepatitis C from 511,115 blood donors were 0.31%. Rates obtained are low when compared with results of previous studies in Mexico for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. It may be possible than these low rates indicate the positive impact obtained from preventive actions, better strategies of detection of blood donors with high risk, and the advantage of working with a fully automated test system with state-of-the-art technology.