Donor Testing
Before releasing donor tissue for transplantation purposes, serological, bacteriological and tissue typing tests are performed.
Serological testing
The serological testing is performed by, The division Sanquin Diagnostic Services. There aims to work according to the highest quality standards to be able to function as a diagnostic reference center in the fields mentioned above, as well in national as in international settings. Sanquin Diagnostic Services is accredited as test laborotory for screening of (post-mortem) tissue donors.
Every Dutch donor is screened for:
- Hepatitis B and C
- HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
- HTLV (human T-lymphotropic virus)
- Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)
The following tests are used for the standard screening:
- HIV-1/2 antibodies and HIV-antigen (CMIA/MEIA)
- HIV-1 RNA qualitative (PCR)
- HBsAg (CMIA/MEIA)
- HBc antibodies (CMIA/MEIA)
- HCV antibodies (CMIA/MEIA)
- HCV- RNA qualitative (PCR)
- HTLV-I/II antibodies (EIA)
- Treponema antibodies (Agglutination)
Bacteriological testing
Bacteriological monitoring of tissue is performed under the authority of the tissue bank.
Tissue typing
HLA tissue typing is performed for corneas at the Eurotransplant Reference Laboratory, Leiden.
