2.9 Testing of Donor Blood | New Zealand Blood Service

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Transfusion medicine

Transfusion medicine handbook

The Transfusion Medicine Handbook is designed to assist hospital staff and other health professionals in modern Transfusion Medicine Practice.

2. Collection, Testing and Processing of Blood Donation

2.9 Testing of Donor Blood

Every unit of blood collected is tested for the following:

  • ABO and RhD blood groups
  • Red cell antibodies
  • Infectious diseases:
    • HIV (HIV Ag/Ab and HIV RNA)
    • Hepatitis B (HBsAg and HBV DNA)
    • Hepatitis C (anti-HCV and HCV RNA)
    • Syphilis (Treponema pallidum antibodies)

Other testing restricted to specific donor groups and, where indicated, individual donors or donations:

  • HTLV-I /II antibody on all new donors
  • CMV antibody on donations to be used as components for patients at high risk from CMV infection
  • Plasmodium antibody on donations from malaria-risk donors
  • Trypanosoma cruzi antibody on donations from Chagas-risk donors
  • Ferritin on donors failing the haemoglobin screening test
  • Direct antiglobulin test (DAT)
  • Extended red cell antigen typing
  • HLA antibody on previously pregnant (> 20 weeks gestation) female plateletpheresis donors
  • HLA (human leucocyte antigen) or HPA (human platelet antigen) genotyping
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