[Risk of disease transmission via donor blood in Denmark at the turn of the century]. / Risiko for smitte med donorblod i Danmark ved årtusindskiftet.

INTRODUCTION: Published results of donor blood screening in Denmark were used to calculate the risks of window phase donations. METHODS: The main parameter was the frequencies of a confirmed positive donation from regular donors per 100,000 donations are: 0.34, for HIV; 0.47 for hepatitis C virus; 0.53 for hepatitis B virus; and nil for HTLVI/II. The mean interdonation interval between donations from regular donors is six months year. Window phase duration were estimated to be 22 days for anti-HIV; 10 weeks for anti-HCV; and 56 days for HBsAg. Blood from candidate donors is not used in Denmark. Thus, the risk of a window phase donation equals the risk of a window phase donation in donations from regular donors. RESULTS: The risks of window phase donations in Denmark are: 1 in 2,000,000 for HIV; 1 in 500,000 for hepatitis C; 1 in 250,000 for hepatitis B; and immeasurably low for HTLVI/II. DISCUSSION: The measures taken nowadays to prevent infection from allogeneic blood transfusion have resulted in a risk reduction of HIV transmission by a factor 50 and of HCV transmission by a factor 400, compared with the risks prevailing in Denmark in the early 1980s. The present very low risk renders obsolete predeposited autologous blood solely on the indication to prevent infection. Zero risk of transmission of HIV and HCV might be approached by introducing NAT screening for these viruses.