What method does Canadian Blood Services use to test blood?
Canadian Blood Services uses a “two stage” testing method. This “state of the art” method of testing the blood for the presence of infection is used by laboratories throughout the world. In the first stage, a sensitive “screening” test is used to look for the possible presence of infection. If the screening test shows no reaction, and then the blood is considered free of infection and no further testing is done. However, if the screening test is “reactive”, further testing is done to sort out whether the “reactive” screening test is due to infection in the blood or to interference with the test. This further testing identifies markers in the blood that are only found when an infection is present. /\ Top 7. Why doesn’t Canadian Blood Services just skip the screening test and test all blood straightaway with tests to find the markers that are only present with infection? Wouldn’t this avoid the possibility of a “false-reactive” test? The “two stage method” is the best method of screening
