Risk factors for hepatitis B and C infection among blood donors in five Chinese blood centers.

Background: Few studies were conducted on hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV, respectively) risk factors among Chinese blood donors in recent years since voluntary donors replaced commercial donors.

Study Design And Methods: A case-control survey was conducted in HBV- or HCV-positive and -negative donors from five blood centers in China between September 2009 and April 2011. Case status was defined by having a reactive result on Monolisa HBsAg Ultra (Bio-Rad) for HBV and Ortho anti-HCV EIA 3.

The persistence of hepatitis C virus transmission risk in China despite serologic screening of blood donations.

Background: A total of 2%-2.9% of the population in China is infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study estimated the prevalence and incidence of HCV among Chinese blood donors.

Long-term return behavior of Chinese whole blood donors.

Background: It is important to understand donor return behavior to maintain sufficient numbers of blood donors in developing countries where blood supplies are often inadequate.

Study Design And Methods: A total of 54,267 whole blood (WB) donors who donated between January 1 and March 31, 2008, at the five blood centers in China were followed for 2.5 years.

A multi-Chinese blood center study testing serologic-negative donor samples for hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus with nucleic acid testing.

Background: A multi-blood center study was conducted to evaluate a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) multiplex nucleic acid testing (NAT) donor screening test and to determine the residual risk for HIV-1 and HCV infection.

Study Design And Methods: A commercially available HIV-1 and HCV assay (Procleix, Chiron Corp.) was used for simultaneous detection of HIV-1 RNA and HCV RNA on 89,647 unlinked donor samples.

Significance of the signal-to-cutoff ratios of anti-hepatitis C virus enzyme immunoassays in screening of Chinese blood donors.

Background: The correlation between signal-to-cutoff (S/CO) ratios of a second-generation hepatitis C virus (HCV) enzyme immunoassay (EIA; Abbott) and a third-generation HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Ortho) and confirmed HCV infection has been reported. The utility of the values for the Chinese anti-HCV EIA kits, however, has not been studied in evaluating test results in Chinese blood donors.

Study Design And Methods: A total of 156 donor samples repeat reactive for anti-HCV at routine screening from five representative regions of China were retested for anti-HCV by the Ortho third-generation HCV ELISA and six Chinese EIA kits and for HCV RNA by a human immunodeficiency virus-1 and HCV assay (Procleix, Chiron Corp.