Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus in United States blood donations, 2015 to 2019: The Transfusion‐Transmissible Infections Monitoring System (TTIMS). Issue 10 (31st August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Steele, Whitney R.; Dodd, Roger Y.; Notari, Edward P.; Xu, Meng; Nelson, Diane; Kessler, Debra A.; Reik, Rita; Williams, Alan E.; Custer, Brian; Stramer, Susan L.
• Is Part Of: Transfusion. Volume 60:Issue 10(2020)
• Page Start: 2327
• Page End: 2339
• Publication Date: 2020-08-31
• Subjects: blood safety -- HBV -- HCV -- HIV -- MSM -- prevalence -- transfusion‐transmitted infections; Hematology -- Periodicals; Blood -- Transfusion -- Periodicals; Blood Group Antigens -- Periodicals; Blood Preservation -- Periodicals; Blood Transfusion -- Periodicals; 615
• DOI: 10.1111/trf.16005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0041-1132

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The Transfusion‐Transmissible Infections Monitoring System (TTIMS) combines data from four US blood collection organizations including approximately 60% of all donations to monitor demographic and temporal trends in infectious disease markers and policy impacts. Study Design and Methods: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) consensus‐positive definitions combined serology and nucleic acid testing results. These along with donor and donation characteristics were assembled into a single data set. Overall donation prevalence and demographic subsets were compared pre‐ and post‐implementation of the 2015 change in men who have sex with men (MSM) deferral policy, among other prevalence comparisons. Results: From October 2015 to September 2019, there were 712 HIV‐, 1735 HBV‐, and 5217 HCV‐positive samples identified from approximately 27.5 million donations (>9.4 million donors). Prevalences per 100 000 donations were 2.6 (HIV), 6.3 (HBV), and 19.0 (HCV), and the highest for all three agents were in donations from first‐time male donors. Two slight but significant increases in HIV prevalence were observed, both for comparisons of Year 1 (pre‐MSM policy change) versus Year 4 (post‐MSM policy change) for first‐time males and first‐time females; in contrast, similar comparisons demonstrated decreases in HCV prevalence (all donors and general trends for males and females). Except for HIV, prevalence increased with age; for all agents, prevalence was markedly higher in the south. Conclusions: No major trends were observed over 4 years covering the MSM policy change from indefinite to a 12‐month deferral, but ongoing monitoring is warranted. Demographic trends are consistent with those observed in other donor studies and community trends.