Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 Screening for hepatitis C antibodies using enzyme immunoassay kits is performed routinely in all blood donors. These kits are very sensitive but have different positive predicative values. The aim of this study was to compare the positive predicative value of two enzyme immunoassay screening kits for hepatitis C in blood donors.

 Materials and Methods

 This cross sectional study was done at Yazd Blood Transfusion Center. Screening tests for 14132 blood donors using anti-HCV- EIA Avicenna and ORTHO HCV-3 ELISA kits were performed in 6 months and the results were compared. Repeatedly reactive results were confirmed by HCV BLOT3.0 (RIBA). Negative results of RIBA were considered false positive.

 Results

 The frequency of false positive results of ORTHO kit was less than Avicenna (0.3% compared to 1.6%). Repeatedly reactive results were confirmed by RIBA. Positive predicative value of ORTHO was higher than Avicenna (P<0.001).

 Conclusions

 Although both kits were highly sensitive, Avicenna kit showed more false positive results than ORTHO. The results suggest that kits with higher positive predicative value be used to decrease confirmation test costs and deferral rate of blood donors.

 Key words : Hepatitis C, Screening, Blood donors.