Hiv Screening of Blood Donors in the Central Blood Bank of Madina, Al-munawara, Saudi Arabia

The study was designed to investigate and exclude the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among blood donors, which might be transmitted to the patients. The study included 11,815 blood donors. All samples were screened throughout the study period of two years. HIV-1 and HIV-2 were determined by using enzyme immunoassay and subsequently confirmed by HIV Western blot assay. World Health Organization (WHO) protocol for transfusion services were strictly followed in the current study conducted in the Central Blood Bank, MOH, Madina Al-Munawara, Saudi Arabia. All sera were tested by enzyme immunoassay for improved detection of seroconvertion to HIV types 1 (HIV-1, HIV-1 group O) and detection of anti HIV-2 antibodies the Murex HIV Ag/Ab combination was used to detect the reactive HIV core antigen. In addition, IgG, IgM, and IgA were estimated as the envelope glycoproteins of HIV-1 and HIV-2. The potentially infectious samples of serum, EDTA plasma, or citrate plasma were identified by using BEPIII DADE Behring autoanlyzer. In the present study, Western blot assay was performed using INNO-LIATM HIV I/II Score to confirm the presence of antibodies and to differentiate between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. The reactive samples were retested if found repeatedly reactive. Only two volunteers were proven to be reactive for HIV-1 infection. In one case, the bands at spg120, gp4'1 rate 3+ and the band at p24 rate 1+ were observed. In the second case results remained indeterminate. However, after follow up the donor was proven to be HIV-1 positive. Based on the results of present study, it is emphasized that HIV screening for healthy blood donors is essential to detect the positive cases, which would lower the risk of transmission of HIV.