title: Surveillance of transfusion-transmissible infections comparison of systems in five developed countries.
abstract: Most industrialized countries maintain surveillance programs for monitoring transmissible infection in blood donations, revising approaches to methodology and risk assessment as new threats emerge. A comparison of programs in the United States, Canada, France, the UK, and Australia indicates that they have similar function, although the structure of blood programs vary as does the extent and nature of formal ties with public health. The emergence of HIV in the late 1970s and early 1980s was key in recognizing that surveillance systems specific to blood transfusion were essential. Hence, most industrialized countries monitor transfusion-transmissible infections in donors and evaluate the impact of new testing and of predonation screening strategies. Emerging infections since HIV have had different transmission pathways and challenged blood programs to draw upon resources for a rapid and effective response, with recognition that the original focus on sexual/drug-related risk of HIV and hepatitis was inadequate. The focus of surveillance programs on new and emerging pathogens fulfills a key role in risk assessment and policy formulation. The precise nature of such activities varies by country because of the structure of the blood programs and surveillance systems, the strategic focus of the blood programs, and the epidemiology of disease in each country.
authors.affiliation: National Epidemiology and Surveillance, Canadian Blood Services, 1800 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1G 4J5. sheila.o'brien@blood.ca
authors.forename: Sheila F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Shimian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Syria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laperche
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.forename: Clive R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kleinman
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D001771:Blood Banks / Q000592:standards*; D001782:Blood Donors; D002170:Canada; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D019049:Developed Countries; D005602:France; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D012306:Risk; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States