(3/11/99)
Utah's Red Cross will begin testing blood supplies this Spring as part of
an experiment to fight dangerous viruses.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates has more on the story.
Utah's Red Cross will ask all donors to participate in a study - agreeing
to have their donated blood genetically fingerprinted.
It's a move across the country to make the blood supply safer - even
though chances for contamination now are rare.
Dr. Annie Strupp, the medical director of Utah Red Cross says, "We've
embarked with the FDA in looking at this test on something on an experimental
basis to look at specifically what the effect on the blood supply is."
The new nucleic acid test is more complicated and costly.
Also, at designated Red Cross Laboratories outside Utah - technicians will
have to hold on to supplies an additional four days to complete the test.
But the FDA believes the additional safety margin, particularly for
donated whole blood, may be worth the cost and the delay.
The nucleic acid process can detect small amounts of virus like hepatitis c or
the aids virus even before the donor's body has recognized the infection.
"Hepatitis C is the infectious disease which is the greatest risk for
transfusion at this point in time."
Some of the nucleic acid tests can detect as few as ten copies of a viral
gene - dramatically closing the gap or window where previous tests have been
unable to detect any cues for infection.
"We believe from preliminary tests that indeed the test will narrow the window
period to virtually nothing," Dr. Strupp says.
The Government hasn't mandated the new test yet because for now, at least,
it's still considered experimental.
