HBV--status in professional blood donors in north India.

Present study demonstrates the efficacy and significance of routine screening assays used for HBsAg testing in donor blood in different blood banks of Delhi city. Blood from professional donors already screened in blood banks were cross checked using micro-ELISA technique developed at All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the results were compared. HBsAg carrier rate in these professional donors was found to be 11.7% by micro ELISA as against only 6% reported in blood banks using RPHA and latex agglutination assays. Thus, assays used in blood banks were found to be missing nearly 50% HBsAg positive cases as compared to micro-ELISA. A small group of professional donors was also screened for anti-HBs and results explained in comparison of normal values.