Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification test (NAT), which was
introduced by the Japanese Red Cross Society
in October 1999, began to be performed for
screening of blood transfusion formulations in
Japan in August 2014. In this study, the precision
of immunological screenings of hepatitis B (HBsAg,
HBcAb, and HBsAb), hepatitis C (HCVAb), and
human immunodeficiency (HIVAb) virus antigens
in donated blood were evaluated. In addition, the
sensitivity of the alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
test for detection of the hepatitis B and C viruses
was re-evaluated.
Immunological screenings showed high precision
of detecting the viral antigens. In contrast, the ALT
test showed much lower precision of detecting the
presence of the hepatitis B and C viruses.
Results of the NAT and immunological screenings
revealed that ALT levels in donors were more
strongly correlated with their levels of gammaglutamyltranspeptidase
(γGTP) and body mass
index (BMI), than with the results of NAT and
immunological screening. Our study indicates
that elevated level(s) of ALT, were more likely to
be associated with lifestyles factors such as high
intake of alcohol or obesity than with infection.
Therefore, ALT may be excluded as surrogate
markers of HBV, HCV, and HIV in donated blood.
