Transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases in Argentina, 1995 through 1997

BACKGROUND: Assessment of the safety of the blood supply, the quality of sc reening procedures, and the risk of transfusion transmission of infectious diseases in any country can be estimated by reviewing the records of blood donations and screening procedures and the prevalence of serologic markers of infectious diseases. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Information on blood donors, particularly the num ber of screened donors, and on the prevalence of serologic markers of infec tious diseases was available from Argentina for 1995 through 1997. This inf ormation permitted the estimation of the risks and costs of preventing tran sfusion transmission of infectious diseases within the country during this period. RESULTS: Screening coverage was higher in the private sector. The proportio n of donors screened for HIV increased from 84.52 percent in 1995 to 97.97 percent in 1997; in the same period, serologic screening for HbsAg increase d from 83.71 percent to 98.48 percent; that for HCV from 69.92 percent to 9 7.83 percent; and that for syphilis from 87.94 percent to 98.71 percent. On e hundred percent of donors were screened for Trypanosoma cruzi throughout the period. The overall prevalence of HIV per year varied from 2.42 to 3.36 per 1,000 donors: that of HBV, from 5.80 to 9.76 per 1,000; of HCV, from 7 .39 to 16.61 per 1,000; and of syphilis, from 5.25 to 7.65 per 1,000. The o verall prevalence of antibodies to T. cruzi ranged from 36.53 to 49.20 per 1,000 donors. The overall index of the spread of infectious viral disease t hrough blood transfusion decreased from 47.74 per 10,000 donations in 1995 to 4.75 per 10,000 in 1997. The ratio of acquired infections to donations i mproved from 1:209 to 1:2,102 during the same period. The risk of T. cruzi infection from 1995 through 1997 was, in theory, nit, given the 100-percent screening. The greatest threat to the quality of the blood supply througho ut the period studied was HCV. CONCLUSION: The status of the blood supply in Argentina improved steadily f rom 1995 to 1997, as shown by the increase in screening coverage.