Research Communications of the 27(th) ECVIM-CA Congress: Intercontinental, Saint Julian's, Malta, 14th to 16th September 2017

Since the different GLs recommend different protocols and that they can differently classify a candidate donor as suitable or not, a harmonization of recommendations, especially on the main TTI to screen and on the choice of the best sensitive serological or molecular tests, with possible variations according to the local epidemiological situation, would be advisable to improve the general level of the veterinary blood safety. Moreover, considering the profile at high risk of TTI of blood donors and consequent costs and time of the procedures to guarantee blood safety, tools to select donors at low risk should be developed. Appropriate recruitment strategies, currently not considered in GLs, questionnaire-based risk profile, educational courses for owners and the possibility to establish a permanent group of safe blood donors could improve the identification of suitable donors, reducing the necessity to perform a wide screening.