title: Residual risk of transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus infections in Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Estimating the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) is essential for monitoring blood safety. The residual risk of TTI was estimated for nearly 90 percent of the blood supply in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed from 1,079,281 repeat donors, corresponding to 5,361,000 donations made in blood transfusion centers throughout Italy in the period 1999 through 2001. The residual risk of transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections was estimated with the incidence rate-window period model. The denominator for the incidence rate (i.e., the number of person-years at risk) was estimated on a sample of 5850 donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The risk of an infectious donation entering the blood supply, per 1 million donations, was 1.91 (probable range, 0.52-3.32) for HIV, 16.74 (9.57-24.01) for HCV, and 69.16 (43.12-102.70) for total HBV (adjusted for vaccination and hepatitis B surface antigen transience).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Italy, the estimated residual risk of TTI is apparently low, particularly for HIV infection. Although the estimated risks are higher for HCV and HBV, the introduction of mandatory viral detection tests for HCV in 2002 should account for an 80 percent reduction in the HCV risk. Moreover, the ongoing HBV vaccination program will contribute to reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted HBV.
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Methodology Section, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Instituto Superiore Di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Règine
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piccinini
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vulcano
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giampaolo
authors.forename: Hamisa Jane
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012698:Serologic Tests; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens