Zhamungui SEF, Herrera EEC, Landázuri GCR, Vinueza MPA

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 75-83
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ABSTRACT

Introduction: Infections produced by Treponema pallidum, which causes syphilis, have reached an important high level among infectious transmitted by transfusion (ITT). Due to the different clinical stages of the disease, the performance of each test is varied and limited. Thus, the choice of a suitable screening technique becomes a fundamental point in a blood bank, to guarantee the quality and safety of each blood component dispatched.
Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the performance of four serological screening techniques.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1 376 randomly selected samples nationwide in December 2015. The techniques used were immunochromatography (IC), flocculation (VDRL), electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) and microelisa, and we compared the performance of each one and with respect to the gold standard (FTA-ABS) by using the Cohen-Kappa correlation coefficient (K).
Results: The four tests had a concordance level of 98.67 %. Of the total discrepant results the 63.16 % were generated by VDRL, which at the same time showed the worst performance (k= 0,14) and reached the lowest values of sensitivity (s= 69 %) and specificity (e= 45 %). That contrasted with IC, which showed the best performance (k= 0,883, s= 100 %, e= 82 %), followed by ECLIA (k= 0,801, s= 96 %, e= 0,82 %) and microelisa (k= 0,711, s= 100 %, e= 0.64 %).
Conclusion: There is a necessity to use tests with new technologies in the serological screening of syphilis and to replace the use of VDRL in a blood bank, due to a correct selection, ensures the quality and the disposal of blood components in the correct number avoiding great losses of blood and money.