Setting up a CMV negative donor file
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is serious to immunocompromized individuals such as recipients of bone marrow transplantation, preterm infants and other immunosuppressed patients. Since there is no effective treatment as yet, prevention is the most effective way so far to avoid CMV infection. Blood transfusion is one of the dangerous sources and screening for CMV negative donors is mandatory, therefore, to provide blood components for immunocompromized patients. We have screened 2,015 donors at various ages for CMV antibody by using passive latex agglutination test (PLA). The results showed that the CMV antibody positive rate was 91.7% in Taiwan. It differs from those of the western countries (40-79%) and the countries of Africa and Asia (96-100%). It has also shown that the positivity rate is closely related to the age of donors. The seronegative rates of ages among 18-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-60 years old were 10.7%, 9.8%, 3.9%, 1.2% and 0% respectively. It has suggested thus that the older the donor is, the higher the seropositive rate will be. Therefore, we should choose the donors of younger age as candidates for making CMV negative donor file.