The Rotary-TTK Blood Bank on Monday launched a hi-tech blood testing facility in the City.

With the introduction of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT), the bank is now equipped to screen HIV-1 virus, Hepatitis B (HB) and Hepatitis C virus in the donated blood by making the window period shorter.

Window period is the time of exposure to the disease till the test becomes positive.

“NAT is a direct test and reduces the window of detection for all these three viruses from the currently available serological test. It detects the viral nucleic acid — RNA and DNA,” said Dr Latha Jagannathan, managing trustee, Rotary TTK Blood Bank.

The National Blood Safety seminars were organised across the country by Chiron, manufacturers of NAT kit and Hemogenomics — the people, who market the kits.