- Canadian Blood Services is altering its methods following
evidence that up to 25 per cent of blood donations can contain the potentially
deadly West Nile Virus after supposedly being screened out.
-
- Infectious-disease specialist Dr. Mark Bigham of Canadian
Blood Services in Vancouver said yesterday the high failure rate in detection
tests has forced the agency to revise its overall plan for West Nile's
expected B.C. arrival this summer.
-
- Bigham has told physicians to discuss the risk of acquiring
West Nile from a blood transfusion with patients anticipating surgery.
-
- Blood-donation centres have also been told to ask those
who have donated but soon after get a fever or headache to contact Canadian
Blood Services.
-
- The agency is working with screening-machine maker Roche.
Bigham said low virus levels early in the detection period are to blame.
-
- "The test is very good and it remains the centrepiece
of our strategy," said Bigham, "but with all tests, it's not
a perfect test."
-
- Canadian Blood services is increasing its West Nile testing
capacity by 50 per cent, but that will only permit single testing of 10
per cent of all Canadian donations for six to 10 weeks, starting in late
July in areas of expected or actual outbreaks.
-
- Copyright © 2004 CanWest Interactive Inc. All rights
reserved.
|
