Serum Neopterin Estimation as an Indicator for Safe Blood Transfusion
1555-1558
Correspondence
Shameem Banu A.S.
Professor & Head, Department of Microbiology,
Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Saveetha University,
Thandalam, Kancheepuram District – 602 105
Tamilnadu, India.
E mail: shameembanu10@rediffmail.com
Mobile Number: 9940127670
Background and Objective: Neopterin is regarded as an early biomarker of the cellular immune response. Neopterin concentrations in body fluids are raised with high sensitivity infections. The determination of neopterin is an innovative tool for monitoring diseases which are associated with the activation of cell-mediated immunity. There is not much data of India available on serum neopterin estimation among voluntary blood donors attending the blood bank for assessing various transfusion transmitted diseases which are necessary for this study.
Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from Government General Hospital blood bank by venipuncture and serum was obtained by centrifugation. Serum antibodies against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1&2), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Treponema pallidum, Cytomegalovirus (CMV-IgM) and Hepatitis B Virus surface antigen (HBsAg) were determined in all donor samples by routine ELISA method. Screening was done for malaria and filarial parasite by making smears. Serum neopterin was measured by a commercially neopterin enzyme immunoassay kit.
Results: A total of 304 donors were screened out of which 58 had elevated neopterin levels contributing to 19.07%. A total of 43 samples were positive for any one or more of the screening tests. All the 43 samples well correlated with neopterin elevation.
Conclusion: We conclude that the risk of transmitting new pathogens may be reduced using neopterin assay as a routine in blood banks.