Is the blood tested for infectious diseases?
A sample of blood from the mother is collected at time of delivery. Utilizing Health Canada and FDA approved donor screening test procedures, the blood is tested for the following infectious diseases*; anti-HIV 1 / 2 – Human Immunodeficiency Virus Types 1 & 2. NAT HIV-1/HCV Assay – Nucleic Acid Testing for detection for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 and Hepatitis C Virus. anti-HTLV I / II – Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type I and Type II HBsAg – Hepatitis B Surface Antigen. anti-HBc – Hepatitis B Virus Core Antigen anti-HCV – Hepatitis C Virus. Syphilis CMV – Cytomegalovirus. NAT WNV – Nucleic Acid Testing for detection for West Nile Virus. T.cruzi – Chagas Disease *Due to regulatory requirements, a positive infectious disease test result (excluding CMV) may require the cord blood sample be discarded.
