Hepatitis-Associated Antigen (Australia Antigen) in Massachusetts Blood Donors

Blood transfusion is associated with a definite risk of viral-hepatitis transmission. The risk varies widely depending on the source of the blood, the manner of blood processing and the susceptibility of the recipients. Even with the use of volunteer donors and high proficiency in blood processing, one pint of blood in 250 was believed to be carrying the virus of post-transfusion hepatitis in the era before hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA or Australia antigen) testing.1This report concerns the results of large-scale HAA testing of Massachusetts blood donors. Starting in August, 1970, all bloods collected by the Massachusetts Red Cross Blood Program . . .