High transmission risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in blood transfusions: A critical evaluation of blood bank serological tests in Mozambique
- 1Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Marracuene, Mozambique
- 2Clinton Health Access Initiative, Maputo city, Mozambique
- 3Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo city, Mozambique
Abstract
Many settings in sub-Saharan Africa use rapid antibody assays to detect human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among blood donor candidates. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of HIV serological tests used to screen blood donor candidates in Mozambique. Determine HIV 1/2 + Uni-Gold HIV (the routine HIV testing at blood banks in Mozambique), and two newer rapid tests (Determine HIV Early Detect and Meriscreen HIV1–2 Western Blot) were compared with an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test + Uni-Gold HIV). Additionally, all serological tests were compared with the molecular cobas MPX test. The sensitivity and specificity of Determine HIV 1/2 + Uni-Gold HIV; Determine HIV Early Detect, and Meriscreen HIV1–2 Western Blot compared to the Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test + Uni-Gold were 85.5% and 99.6%; 88.7% and 99.5%; 90.0% and 99.6% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of Determine HIV 1/2 + Uni-Gold HIV; Determine HIV Early Detect, Meriscreen HIV1–2 Western Blot, and Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test + Uni-Gold compared to the cobas MPX test were 64.0% and 99.1%; 68.6% and 99.1%; 70.8% and 99.0%; 66.0% and 99.4%, respectively. The probability of undetected positive results in the rapid tests and Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test ranged from 5.6 to 6.7 per 1,000 blood donors. The results of this study point to the need for the introduction of molecular testing for HIV in blood banks in developing countries to improve transfusion safety and contribute to controlling HIV as a public health problem.
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BibTeX
@article{mabunda2026high,
title = {{High transmission risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in blood transfusions: A critical evaluation of blood bank serological tests in Mozambique}},
author = {Nédio Mabunda and Odete Matola and Júlia Sambo and Imelda Chelene and Abras Munguambe and Nuro Abílio and Adolfo Vubil and Osvaldo Loquiha and Ilesh Jani},
journal = {PLOS Global Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgph.0007398},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007398},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - High transmission risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in blood transfusions: A critical evaluation of blood bank serological tests in Mozambique
AU - Nédio Mabunda
AU - Odete Matola
AU - Júlia Sambo
AU - Imelda Chelene
AU - Abras Munguambe
AU - Nuro Abílio
AU - Adolfo Vubil
AU - Osvaldo Loquiha
AU - Ilesh Jani
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - PLOS Global Public Health
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0007398
UR - https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007398
AB - Many settings in sub-Saharan Africa use rapid antibody assays to detect human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among blood donor candidates. This study aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of HIV serological tests used to screen blood donor candidates in Mozambique. Determine HIV 1/2 + Uni-Gold HIV (the routine HIV testing at blood banks in Mozambique), and two newer rapid tests (Determine HIV Early Detect and Meriscreen HIV1–2 Western Blot) were compared with an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test + Uni-Gold HIV). Additionally, all serological tests were compared with the molecular cobas MPX test. The sensitivity and specificity of Determine HIV 1/2 + Uni-Gold HIV; Determine HIV Early Detect, and Meriscreen HIV1–2 Western Blot compared to the Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test + Uni-Gold were 85.5% and 99.6%; 88.7% and 99.5%; 90.0% and 99.6% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of Determine HIV 1/2 + Uni-Gold HIV; Determine HIV Early Detect, Meriscreen HIV1–2 Western Blot, and Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test + Uni-Gold compared to the cobas MPX test were 64.0% and 99.1%; 68.6% and 99.1%; 70.8% and 99.0%; 66.0% and 99.4%, respectively. The probability of undetected positive results in the rapid tests and Merilisa HIV Gen 4 test ranged from 5.6 to 6.7 per 1,000 blood donors. The results of this study point to the need for the introduction of molecular testing for HIV in blood banks in developing countries to improve transfusion safety and contribute to controlling HIV as a public health problem.
SN - 2767-3375
ER -