HOW DOES CRYOGENIC LABORATORIES SCREEN ITS DONORS?
Laboratory testing for antibody to CMV is performed on all donors. If the antibody test is negative or not detectable, the donor is presumed not to have been previously infected. A new test is done every three months to monitor for new infections. If the donor tests positive for antibodies, additional testing is performed to determine if the positive antibody test represents a recent or old infection. If a recent infection cannot be ruled out, all suspect semen vials are discarded. IS IT SAFE TO USE A DONOR WHO IS POSITIVE FOR CMV? You may wish to consult with your own medical practitioner as to whether he or she feels it is acceptable to use a donor who is positive for CMV IgG antibodies. Given our screening process, we presume that our donors who are positive for CMV IgG antibodies are non-infectious for CMV. Furthermore, our six-month quarantine policy ensures that should a donor test positive for a current or recent infection, we would destroy all his potentially infectious samples
