Ensuring Blood Safety through Donor Notification and Recall Programmes for TTIs: A Seven-Year Analysis of Seroprevalence and Counselling Outcomes

Background: Notification and recall systems for blood donors are central to transfusion safety, as they enable early identification of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), timely counselling, and follow-up. Objective: This study sought to evaluate temporal patterns in donor seroprevalence, outcomes of telephone-based notification, and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on recall effectiveness. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on 14,406 whole blood donations between August 2015 and July 2022 at a tertiary care blood centre in western India. Screening was performed for HBsAg, HCV, HIV, and syphilis. Donors repeatedly reactive on screening were informed confidentially by telephone and counselled. Seroprevalence was examined annually and across three timeframes: pre-COVID (2016–2019), COVID (2020–2021), and post-COVID (2022). Data analysis employed chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results: Of 14,406 donations, 377 (2.62%) were reactive: HBsAg 1.47%, HCV 0.40%, HIV 0.48%, syphilis 0.27%. Differences in overall prevalence across timeframes were not statistically significant (χ²=3.26, p=0.196). However, HCV prevalence showed a significant upward trend (p=0.008). Median recall completion was 64.2% (range 58.2–74.1%), with no difference across study periods. Conclusion: Donor notification programmes ensured moderate recall effectiveness throughout seven years. The notable rise in HCV prevalence, particularly during and after the COVID-19 phase, highlights the need for accurate donor data collection, stronger recall systems, and enhanced educational interventions.