JAMA - Studies Propose Targeted Screening of Blood for West Nile Virus

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JAMA - Journal of American Medical Association
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[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif] <nobr>Bridget M. Kuehn</nobr> [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif] JAMA. 2006;295:1235-1236. [/FONT]

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[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Studies Propose Targeted Screening of Blood for West Nile Virus

[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]When evidence emerged in 2002 that the West Nile virus couldbe transmitted through blood, the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and blood-screening organizations reacted quickly to maintainthe safety of the blood supply by screening for this infectiousagent. By 2003, the FDA had recommended that blood banks screenblood for the West Nile virus using an investigational nucleicacid test. Since then, blood banks across the country have usedvarious strategies, including individual or pooled blood sampletesting, to prevent this infectious agent from contaminatingthe blood supply.[/FONT] [FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]But some scientists believe these strategies may not providesufficient public health benefit to justify their expense, andthey recommend using more targeted testing strategies that wouldreduce costs. Two recent cost-effectiveness analyses suggesttwo reasons for considering alternative screening strategies:the high cost of testing the blood supply and the low risk thatinfection with <nobr>. . .</nobr> [Full Text of this Article][/FONT]

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