Retrospective review of serological testing of potential human milk donors

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of positive serology among potential donors to a human milk bank. DESIGN: Retrospective review of our experience with donor serological testing at our milk bank over a 6-year interval. SETTING: Not-for-profit, regional human milk bank. PATIENTS: Volunteer, unpaid potential donors of human milk. INTERVENTIONS: Serological testing for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and human T cell lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV-2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Results of serological screening tests performed on potential donors. RESULTS: Of 1091 potential donors, 3.3% were positive on screening serology, including 6 syphilis, 17 hepatitis B, 3 hepatitis C, 6 HTLV and 4 HIV. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant incidence of positive serology among women interested in donating human milk. This implies that there may be significant risk associated with peer-to-peer distribution of human milk from unscreened donors.