TEMPORAL TRENDS in TRANSFUSION TRANSMISSIBLE INFECTIONS RISK and MONITORING of DONOR RISK FACTORS in the US BLOOD

National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute

Investigators

Abstract

Despite regulations and standard operating procedures in place to govern blood collection, unexpected changes in donor behaviors may affect the accuracy and utility of blood supply safeguards. While altruism remains the most common motivator for blood donation, test seeking or infection monitoring may be motivating factors for some donors. In medical care use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to treat all identified HIV infection is now common. In addition, post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are now widely available. These factors have increased the frequency of ARV use in the overall population. To assess evidence for ARV and PrEP use in the allogeneic donor population, samples from both HIV-positive and infection negative donations will be tested for the presence of ARV drugs. This proposal has three aims. In Aim 1, we will assess ARV use in HIV-positive donors. For ARV monitoring, we will use existing HIV-positive samples already in the US Transfusion Transmissible Infections Monitoring System (TTIMS) as well samples that may be accrued during future TTIMS project periods. In Aim 2, we will conduct an expanded assessment of PrEP use in blood donors by obtaining additional samples from participating TTIMS blood centers targeted to donors with the demographic characteristics of interest. In Aim 3, we will use surveys and qualitative interviews to understand the knowledge and motivations of blood donors who test positive for ARVs or PrEP, based on the blood sample monitoring in the first two aims.