Risk of hepatitis and retroviral infections among blood donors and introduction of nucleic acid testing (NAT).

Blood donors represent a carefully selected population of individuals. In particular, they have reduced prevalence and incidence rates for hepatitis and retroviral markers when compared to the general population. Serological testing of all donations further decreases the risk of collecting an infectious blood unit to negligible levels. Nevertheless, a significant fraction of this residual risk will be eliminated by the introduction of nucleic acid testing for viral genomic material in donor samples. This testing, which has already reached the initial phases of implementation, will be performed on pooled samples, at least in the first instance.