[HTML][HTML] West Nile virus infections projected from blood donor screening data, United States, 2003

MP Busch, DJ Wright, B Custer, LH Tobler… - Emerging infectious …, 2006 - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
MP Busch, DJ Wright, B Custer, LH Tobler, SL Stramer, SH Kleinman, HE Prince, C Bianco…
Emerging infectious diseases, 2006ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
National blood donor screening for West Nile virus (WNV) RNA using minipool nucleic acid
amplification testing (MP-NAT) was implemented in the United States in July 2003. We
compiled national NAT yield data and performed WNV immunoglobulin M (IgM) testing in 1
WNV-epidemic region (North Dakota). State-specific MP-NAT yield, antibody
seroprevalence, and the average time RNA is detectable by MP-NAT were used to estimate
incident infections in 2003. WNV donor screening yielded 944 confirmed viremic donors. MP …
Abstract
National blood donor screening for West Nile virus (WNV) RNA using minipool nucleic acid amplification testing (MP-NAT) was implemented in the United States in July 2003. We compiled national NAT yield data and performed WNV immunoglobulin M (IgM) testing in 1 WNV-epidemic region (North Dakota). State-specific MP-NAT yield, antibody seroprevalence, and the average time RNA is detectable by MP-NAT were used to estimate incident infections in 2003. WNV donor screening yielded 944 confirmed viremic donors. MP-NAT yield peaked in August with> 0.5% of donations positive for WNV RNA in 4 states. Peak IgM seroprevalence for North Dakota was 5.2% in late September. The average time viremia is detectable by MP-NAT was 6.9 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0–10.7). An estimated 735,000 (95% CI 322,000–1,147,000) infections occurred in 2003, with 256 (95% CI 112–401) infections per neuroinvasive case. In addition to preventing transfusion-transmitted WNV infection, donor screening can serve as a tool to monitor seasonal incidence in the general population.
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