Overall transfusion-transmissible infection screening reactivity reached 2.50% among 5,163 blood donations evaluated across a multi-year institutional review published in Cureus, with hepatitis B remaining the most frequently detected marker.
Researchers at King George’s Medical University and Hind Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow examined blood-donation and TTI screening records spanning from 2021 through the partial year ending July 26, 2026. The evaluation established an overall reactivity rate of 129 out of 5,163 donations, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 2.11% to 2.96%.
Hepatitis B surface antigen dominated the reactive markers at 1.28%, or 66 out of 5,163 donations. Hepatitis C virus followed at 0.70% (36 donations), syphilis at 0.35% (18 donations), malaria at 0.12% (6 donations), and human immunodeficiency virus at 0.06% (3 donations).
Complete calendar years from 2021 to 2025 showed overall screening reactivity varied over time, with a Pearson chi-square value of 17.209 and a p-value of 0.0018. A Cochran-Armitage test confirmed a statistically significant increasing trend with a Z-value of 3.163 and a p-value of 0.0016.
Blood Banks Screen Donations for Infections and Confirm Reactivity
- Blood banks screen every donation for major infections like HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and malaria to protect transfusion recipients.
- Screening reactivity means an initial test showed a positive marker, which requires further diagnostic confirmation rather than standing as a definitive diagnosis.
- Hepatitis B surface antigen remained the most common reactive finding in this North Indian cohort over the study period.
Screening Markers Follow Distinct Trajectories Through 2025
Analysis of complete calendar years from 2021 to 2025 demonstrated that individual screening markers followed distinct trajectories rather than uniform patterns. Syphilis screening reactivity showed an increasing trend with a Z-value of 2.996 and a p-value of 0.0027.
The study population comprised 510 donations in 2021, 907 donations in 2022, 1,147 donations in 2023, 1,177 donations in 2024, and 957 donations in 2025. An additional 465 partial-year donations were evaluated through July 26, 2026, bringing the total enumeration to 5,163 screened units.
Demographic analysis of the 129 reactive donors showed a mean age of 32.5 years with a standard deviation of 9.2 years. Male donors accounted for 125 of the 129 reactive records, representing 96.9% of the total reactive cohort.
Post-donation counselling and referral protocols
Documented post-donation counselling and referral pathways ensured that every reactive donor received notification and guidance following laboratory screening. Same-day counselling was recorded for all 129 reactive donors, achieving a 100% completion rate.
Within one day of the reactive screening result, 124 donors—representing 96.1% of the reactive cohort—were formally referred for further evaluation. All 129 reactive donors were referred within seven days.
Subsequent attendance at external referral facilities, confirmatory diagnostic testing, treatment initiation, and long-term clinical outcomes were not tracked within the scope of this retrospective record-based study. Repeat-donor status and individual donation frequency could not be extracted because first-time and repeat classifications were unavailable in the analytical dataset.
| Infection Marker | Reactive Count (N = 5,163) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) | 66 | 1.28% |
| Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) | 36 | 0.70% |
| Syphilis | 18 | 0.35% |
| Malaria | 6 | 0.12% |
| Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) | 3 | 0.06% |
Surveillance conclusions
The multi-year review shows that institutions must conduct continuous surveillance to monitor changing epidemiological patterns in regional blood supplies. While laboratory screening effectively intercepts infectious units before transfusion, structured recall systems remain vital for donor health management.
The findings emphasize that regional variations require localized data rather than generalized national estimates to maintain blood safety standards.
References
- Cureus: Transfusion-Transmissible Infection Screening Reactivity, Temporal Trends, and Post-donation Counselling and Referral at a Tertiary Care Centre in North India
- World Health Organization: Blood safety and availability guidelines
- National Blood Transfusion Standards, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India
