Blood Bank Research Articles

Prevalence and investigation of Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in blood donors from the main blood establishment in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil.

Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. HCMV transmission can occur through blood transfusions and typically results in asymptomatic infections in newborns and young individuals or causes symptoms like infectious mononucleosis when symptomatic infections arise. HCMV infection poses a notable risk to transfusion recipients, particularly in vulnerable groups such as premature newborns and immunosuppressed patients. The risk persists even after prophylaxis ends, especially in patients who undergo organ transplantation and receive blood or blood products from a seropositive donor while being seronegative themselves (D+/R-). Here, we investigated the serological and molecular prevalence of HCMV among 980 blood donors from the main blood bank in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using chemiluminescence and real-time PCR (TaqMan). The data underwent univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical analyses using the SPSS program, version 20.0. The average age of donors was 38.53 years, with a majority being male (53.9 %). The prevalence of cytomegalovirus was 88.5 %, and HCMV DNA was detected in 1.2 % of the samples. Given that there are approximately 100,000 blood donations per year, this prevalence rate is considerably high compared to that in developed countries. These findings underscore the critical need for ongoing surveillance and molecular testing to ensure the safety of blood supplies.

An in silico simulation of the frequency of administering HLA-incompatible low titer group O whole blood units when the donor pool includes unscreened female donors.

As low titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) increases in popularity, blood centers are finding innovative ways of maintaining the supply. One potential way is collecting LTOWB from parous female donors without testing for HLA antibodies. This in silico simulation predicted the risk of an LTOWB unit containing an HLA antibody and the subsequent risk for an HLA-incompatible transfusion. An LTOWB blood bank with 1 million units was simulated consisting of male, nulliparous, and parous female donors. The proportion of each donor type was modeled after the sex distribution at US blood centers. The parity of female donors was calculated based on the average number of live births per female depending on her age. HLA-alloimmunization risk was determined by her parity status. The HLA haplotypes of the simulated recipients were derived from the 100 most common HLA haplotypes in the US National Marrow Registry Program database. The proportion of different race/ethnic groups in the US was used to simulate 100,000 LTOWB recipients to whom between 1 and 10 units were administered. Overall, the risk of an LTOWB unit containing at least one HLA antibody was 12.2% and the rate of receiving an HLA-incompatible unit was 21.3%. The risk of receiving an HLA-incompatible unit rose from 4.8% after receipt of one unit to 36.5% after 10 units. Blood collectors and hospitals should evaluate the potential TRALI risk against the benefit of a potentially expanded inventory of LTOWB before collecting plasma-containing products from non-HLA-tested parous female donors.

Constructing a potential HLA haplo-homozygous induced pluripotent stem cell haplobank using data from an umbilical cord blood bank

BackgroundInduced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into any type of cell and have potential uses in regenerative medicine for the treatment of many diseases. However, reducing immune rejection is a key problem in the application of iPSCs that can be solved by the development of haplobanks containing specially selected iPSC lines.MethodsTo study the feasibility of constructing an HLA (human leukocyte antigen)-matched induced pluripotent stem cell haplobank in China, 5421 umbilical cord blood samples were randomly collected from the Umbilical Cord Blood Bank of Zhejiang Province, China. The HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1, and HLA-DQB1 loci were genotyped using next-generation sequencing. Using HLA genotype data at the high-resolution level, the number of HLA homozygous donors needed to cover a certain percentage of the Chinese population and the feasibility of constructing a high-matching iPSC haplobank were estimated.ResultsThirteen HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 and 11 HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 haplotype homozygotes were observed among the stored umbilical CB units which were as HLA zero-mismatched iPSC donors cumulatively matched 37.01% and 32.99% of 5421 potential patients respectively. The analysis showed that 100 distinct HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 and HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 homozygous haplotypes would cover 72.74% and 67.87% of Chinese populations, respectively, and 600 HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 homozygous haplotypes would cover more than 90% of Chinese populations. PCA (principal component analysis) of published HLA data from different populations revealed that the frequency of these haplotypes in Asian populations is different from those in European populations.ConclusionThe results suggested that at least some HLA-homozygous iPSC lines developed from Chinese individuals will not only be useful for covering the Chinese population but will also cover other Asian populations. A high-matching iPSC haplobank generated from umbilical CB units may be an economical and effective option in an allogeneic model of iPSC therapy.

Carbon Quantum Dots with Tunable Size and Fluorescence Intensity for Development of a Nano-biosensor.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are a class of nanomaterials known for their remarkable photostability, chemical inertness and biocompatibility. Changing their size, structure, and surface chemistry enable the tuning of their luminescence property, which gives them tremendous potential for various applications. CQDs synthesis typically involves long tedious processes, requiring multiple steps and harsh reaction conditions. Here, a new reliable, economical, and ultra-rapid one-step fabrication method is introduced to obtain CQDs with well-defined and reproducible photoluminescence properties via a simple heat treatment. These solid-state CQDs are homogenous in size and are ready to use without the need for further purification. The size of the fabricated CQDs and their corresponding peak fluorescence intensity are confirmed to be tunable by simple adjustment of the heat treatment conditions. Coupled with their selective fluorescence quenching by metal ions, the clinical potential of CQDs is demonstrated for biosensing applications by designing a new nano-biosensor to assess the quality of stored blood units through hemolysis quantification without disrupting storage conditions. This may pave the way for a new standard in blood bank inventory management.

Trypanosoma cruzi Transmission Through Blood Samples and Derivatives: Main Routes, Control Strategies, and Recent Advancements in Blood Banks

Neglected Tropical Diseases are a group of 25 conditions caused by diverse agents. They mostly affect people with poorer health outcomes, particularly preventable diseases. The social determinants of health influence the development and progression of these poverty diseases, with inadequate sanitation presenting chronicity, high morbidity, and economic impacts. Chagas disease, a prominent Neglected Tropical Disease caused by the intracellular pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in Latin America but is increasing as a global concern due to population migration. It is transmitted through insect vectors, congenitally, orally via contaminated food and beverage, via transfusions and organ donation, and due to laboratory accidents, among other minor relevant routes. As a silent illness, with many infected individuals remaining asymptomatic, it contributes to underdiagnosis, and delayed treatment that involves nitro derivatives is often discontinued due to side effects. Chagas disease spreads in non-endemic areas like the United States of America and Europe. Blood screening practices vary, with endemic regions implementing universal testing, while non-endemic areas rely on selective methods. Recent innovations, such as riboflavin–ultraviolet light treatment and arylimidamide compounds, represent promising alternatives to reduce transfusion transmission. This review presents an analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission through blood and derivatives, addressing the main routes, globally implemented control strategies, and recent advancements in blood bank safety.

Cord Direct Antiglobulin Test for Predicting the Need for Phototherapy in Neonates with ABO Incompatibility: A Prospective Cohort Study

Introduction: The Direct Antiglobulin Test (DAT) is a screening technique used to detect Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antierythrocyte antibodies on foetal Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Universal bilirubin screening decreases the incidence of severe hyperbilirubinemia. The diagnostic efficacy of DAT in cases of ABO incompatibility is not well established, in contrast to Rh incompatibility. Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic ability of routine cord blood DAT in neonates ≥35 weeks of gestation with ABO incompatibility in predicting the requirement for phototherapy. Additionally, to compare the diagnostic ability between two methods of DAT estimation, namely the semiagglutination gel method and the conventional tube method. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted from September 2022 to March 2024 at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Following the acquisition of informed consent, cord blood samples were collected from 934 neonates delivered after 35 weeks of completed gestation to mothers with O blood type. In cases of ABO incompatibility (523 neonates), DAT was performed using both the manual tube method and the automated semiagglutination gel method in the blood bank. Serum bilirubin levels, complete blood counts with peripheral smear analysis and reticulocyte counts were performed on day 3 or earlier, as clinically indicated. The neonates were treated in accordance with the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) 2004 recommendations on phototherapy. Babies were monitored for jaundice until 14 days of age. Results: Out of 3,092 eligible deliveries, 523 babies with ABO incompatibility were enrolled. The baseline characteristics were comparable. Bilirubin levels in DAT-positive and DAT-negative neonates were 14.60±3.58 mg% and 13.18±3.16 mg% (p-value <0.001), respectively. The adjusted odds ratio of positive DAT for both methods in predicting the requirement for phototherapy was 3.21 (95% CI 2.1-5.8). The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio of the tube method were 37.5%, 85.16%, 2.53, and 0.73, respectively, while for the gel method they were 37.08%, 86.57%, 2.76, and 0.73, respectively. Conclusion: In cases of ABO incompatibility, neonates with positive cord DAT had higher odds of requiring phototherapy; however, a high negative likelihood ratio indicates that additional factors may be involved in hyperbilirubinemia that necessitate phototherapy.

Comparison of anticoagulant combinations used in granulocyte apheresis.

Our study retrospectively examines the number of granulocytes in the products of donors who donated granulocytes between January 2016 and September 2020 at the Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Blood Bank. The effects of acid-citrate-dextrose (ACD), trisodium citrate + hydroxyethyl starch (TCC + HES) and ACD + HES combinations used in the apheresis procedure on the granulocyte count of apheresis products were examined. As a result of study, it was seen that the type of anticoagulant combination used during apheresis significantly affected the number of granulocytes collected.

Blood Product Management: A Comprehensive Analysis in a Trauma Center Hospital

Background: Today, excessive demand for blood products is a common issue across various medical departments. This demand can lead to improper distribution, waste of blood products, and poor availability for emergency patients. Additionally, it increases costs and the workload of blood banks, disrupting the proper distribution of products among medical centers. Ultimately, all these factors contribute to a decrease in the quality of blood products. This study was conducted to investigate the pattern of blood requests and utilization at 5-Azar Educational Hospital in the Golestan province in 2022. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2022. The study population comprised all patients who requested blood product reservations upon admission to the hospital. Results: In the present study, 514 patients with requests for blood product reservations were included, resulting in 739 cross-matches and ultimately 677 transfusions. The cross-match to transfusion (C/T) ratio for this study was 1.09, while the probability of transfusion (T %) was 91.6%. The highest incidence of blood reservation wastage was associated with the neurosurgery department. Conclusion: By addressing the identified challenges and promoting adherence to guidelines, healthcare institutions can improve patient outcomes and ensure responsible use of blood resources.

Cost Difference Between Open Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery for the Treatment of Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fractures.

Spinal vertebral fractures pose a significant healthcare burden due to their frequency and impact on quality of life, resulting in substantial social costs. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) offers advantages over traditional open surgery (OS), such as reduced tissue damage, less postoperative pain, and shorter hospital stays, although it involves higher implant costs. Research comparing the overall direct costs of these interventions is limited. This study aims to compare the direct hospital-care costs associated with OS and MIS for thoracolumbar vertebral fractures in Spain. We conducted an ambispective analysis of patients treated for thoracolumbar unstable fractures at our hospital from January 2004 to July 2022. Patients were categorized into OS and MIS groups. We performed analyses on the entire cohort, patients with minor trauma, and applied propensity score matching. Direct hospital costs were documented and adjusted for inflation. Out of 218 patients, 75 underwent OS and 143 received MIS. Cost analysis indicated that MIS patients had shorter hospital stays and lower admission costs, though total costs did not differ significantly. Multivariate analysis showed OS was slightly more expensive but not significantly so. Propensity score matching confirmed similar findings. For patients with minor trauma, MIS again showed shorter stays and lower costs, with no significant difference in total costs. All cohorts exhibited significantly lower blood expenditure with MIS. The study demonstrates that MIS is not inferior to OS in terms of costs, with some advantages like reduced blood bank expenses. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials with economic evaluations are needed for more definitive conclusions.

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and associated factors among blood donors in Hossana blood bank catchment area, Southern Ethiopia

BackgroundHuman hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver brought on by the DNA virus known as the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Around the world, 240 million people are thought to have HBV in a chronic state. The prevalence of viral hepatitis is extremely high in Africa. Prior reports from various regions of the nation have indicated a variable prevalence of HBV infection.ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of HBV infections and associated factors among blood donors in the Hossana blood bank catchment area in August 2023.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 546 blood donors in the Hossana blood bank catchment area from August 22 to September 22, 2023. Study participants were included using the system established by the blood bank. Both Binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted. The association of variables was declared at p-value < 0.05 and strength of association was presented using AOR with a corresponding 95% CI. The adequacy of the model was checked by Hosmer-Lemeshow test.Resultsa total of 546 participant’s data was analyzed. The prevalence of HBV among blood donors in the Hossana blood bank catchment area was 7.88 with 95% CI [5.76–10.46]. No participants received post-donation counseling. Having multiple sexual partners (AOR = 5.18, 95% CI: 1.32–20.36), Sharing of sharp material (AOR = 3.66, 95% CI: 1.32–10.13) and tooth extraction (AOR = 5.55, 95% CI: 2.08–14.78) were identified as factors associated with HBV positivity.ConclusionIn this study, the prevalence of hepatitis B virus was 7.88, which is intermediate. Multiple sexual partners, sharing of sharp material, and tooth extraction were related to the hepatitis b virus. Though post-donation counseling is important for the control and prevention of hepatitis b virus infection, it has been neglected since the establishment of the blood bank we strongly recommend counseling regular donors.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.

An elderly patient with a rare blood group in Bangladesh: a case report

The Bombay Blood Group is a rare blood type characterized by the absence or deficiency of the H antigen. It was first identified in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) in 1952, thus it was named as. This blood group lacks the A, B, and H antigens on red blood cells, and its serum contains anti-A, anti-B, and anti-H antibodies. A 60-year-old male was admitted to BIRDEM General Hospital with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, hypertension, right-sided pneumonia, chronic kidney disease and severe anemia. Due to his critically low hemoglobin level of 6.5 gm/dl, he required two units of packed red cells. During pre-transfusion testing, a blood sample was taken and sent to our Transfusion Medicine Department. At the time of blood grouping we surprisingly noticed that he has ‘Bombay Blood Group’. It is a very rare type of blood group and on routine blood grouping behaves as “O” unless reverse grouping or serum grouping has been done but can receive transfusion from only peoples having Bombay group. Interestingly, individuals with the Bombay phenotype are likely to have family members with the same blood group. His three sons and one daughter were tested for blood grouping, all showed “O” positive with Rhesus “D” positive. Despite no known family members or records in our blood bank having the Bombay blood group, his sons embarked on a search for Bombay phenotype donors for his transfusion. They succeeded in locating two donors with the Bombay blood group, one from Narayanganj and another from Chandpur. Following treatment for infection and diabetes control, he received two units of Bombay red cell concentrate transfusion. After receiving blood transfusion, his clinical condition improved. BIRDEM Med J 2025; 15(1): 44-46

Immunophenotypic and Functional Interindividual Variability in Banked Cord Blood Cells: Insights for Advanced Therapies

Immunophenotypic and Functional Interindividual Variability in Banked Cord Blood Cells: Insights for Advanced Therapies

P-2203. High Rate of False Positives in Military Blood Donors Screening Positive for Hepatitis C Virus

Abstract Background While the overall rates of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in military populations are low, positive post-donation screening represents the second most common indication for post-donation infectious deferrals in military blood donors. All donors who screen positive are permanently deferred from blood donation, regardless of follow-up testing in clinical laboratories. There is limited data on the follow-up evaluation of these blood donors. This study describes the confirmatory testing, access to appropriate subspecialty care, and treatment of blood donors who screened positive for HCV at a large military blood bank. Methods All military blood donors between 2017-2023 at the Armed Service Blood Bank Center-San Antonio were screened for HCV by both antibody tests and nucleic acid tests, with positive antibody screening tests confirmed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Donors who screened positive had their medical charts reviewed to determine demographic information, follow-up evaluation, and treatment rates. On follow-up clinical diagnostic tests, patients with positive antibodies were determined to true positives (TP) and those with negative antibodies were determined to be FP. Results Of the 100,182 blood donors during the study period, 37 (0.04%) screened positive for HCV, of which follow-up information was available for 27 (73%). Of these 27, only 12 (44%) of donors were found to be TP. TP donors were more likely to be older (median 22 [20-29.5] vs. 20 [18-22], p=0.05) and have higher rates of positive nucleic acid testing (58% vs. 0%, p=0.001) after blood donation (Table 1). There was no difference in linkage to both primary and subspecialty care for TP and FP (Table 2). Of the TP, 7 (58%) were viremic, 3 (43%) of which received anti-viral therapy and 4 (57%) were administratively separated. Conclusion While HCV is one of the most common infectious reasons for military service members who donate blood to be deferred from future donations, most positive screenings were FP. Future efforts should be made to re-enter these patients with FP screening tests back into the donor pool. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

P-162. Estimating the Seroprevalence of HTLV-1 in Pregnant Peruvian Women Based on Blood Bank Markers: a Road to Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HTLV-1

Abstract Background The prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a top priority for HTLV-endemic countries due to its chronicity, lack of treatment and association with the aggressive adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma in comparison to other routes of infection. As of 2024, Japan, Brazil and Chile are few of the countries with national policies regarding antenatal screening. Peru, also an endemic country with around 150,000 to 450,000 HTLV-1 carriers, has limited data in pregnant women and does not have any PMTCT policy in place. By contrast, HTLV-1/2 antibody screening of blood donations has been endorsed since 1997 and national data are available. We aim to leverage these data to estimate the prevalence of HTLV-1 in pregnant women as a first step towards development and implementation of a PMTCT policy in Peru. Figure 1 Estimation of number of HTLV-1 infected pregnant women and HTLV-1 seroprevalence in pregnant women in Peru (2017) Methods This was an ecological study using public-use data from the Peruvian Bulletin on Blood Supply 2015-2020, the 2017 National Census, the 2017 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and the National Registry. The unit of analysis was Peru and its subregions in the year of 2017. To estimate the number of infected women of reproductive age (WRA, 15-49 years), we used census data and a calculated percentage of HTLV-1/2 reactive blood units for this group based on a weighted factor by sex and age (Figure 1, Table 1). Using the DHS percentage of WRA currently pregnant, we estimated the number of infected pregnant women. To obtain the HTLV-1 prevalence for this group, we used the number of life births adjusted for a 9-month period (0.75) as the denominator. Calculation of weighted factor for HTLV-1/2 seroprevalence by age and sex based on local blood bank data Results A total of 359,458 blood units were screened and 2,809 were reactive for HTLV-1/2 (0.78%) (Figure 2). We estimated between 68,456 to 72,978 HTLV-1 carriers who were WRA, of whom 2,463 to 2,773 were pregnant (Figure 3). This is comparable to rates in Japan and Brazil. Our estimated HTLV-1 seroprevalence in pregnant women was 0.61% for the entire country. Number and percentage of HTLV-1/2 reactive blood units in 2017 by departments of Peru Conclusion Our findings could help guide future strategies for PMTCT, such as universal antenatal screening and assessing the feasibility of formula supplementation for infants born to HTLV-1 positive mothers. Our limitations included the use of one-year data, HTLV-1/2 false-positives in blood donors and not using inverse probability weighting. Estimated number and percentage of HTLV-1 infected pregnant women in 2017 by Departments of Peru Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Is Routine Group and Save Sampling Necessary for Emergency Laparoscopic Appendicectomy?

Background Laparoscopic appendicectomy is a commonly used approach for the surgical management of acute appendicitis. If complications arise, a blood transfusion may be necessary for patients undergoing emergency appendicectomy. The need for routine group and save (G&S) sampling prior to emergency laparoscopic appendicectomy remains a subject of ongoing discussion. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether routine G&S sampling is needed prior to emergency laparoscopic appendicectomy. Methods The present study retrospectively reviewed G&S sampling for emergency laparoscopic appendicectomy cases over a six-month period at two hospital sites in the United Kingdom: Croydon University Hospital (June 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024) and Tunbridge Wells Hospital (October 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024). A total of 304 patients across both sites were included in the review. Results In 2023, 23 procedures (7.6%) were performed, while 279 procedures (92.4%) occurredin 2024. The patient population consisted of 46.4% males (n = 141) and 53.6% females (n = 163), with a mean age of 37.1 years (median 33, range 6-84). A total of 406 G&S samples were collected, of which 351 (86.5%) were processed and 55 (13.5%) were rejected by the blood bank. From the sample size, only one patient received a blood transfusion prior to surgery due to a low hemoglobin level of 72 g/L, likely resulting from the delayed presentation of a perforated appendix. Conclusion This study suggests that omitting routine G&S sampling is safe for patients undergoing emergency laparoscopic appendicectomy. Hence, an individualized risk assessment approach should be used to identify high-risk patients requiring preoperative G&S sampling.

Lyophilized human platelet lysate: manufacturing, quality control, and application

BackgroundA significant number of platelet concentrates (PCs) is discarded daily in blood banks due to limited shelf life. Human platelet lysate (HPL), derived from expired PCs, has gained attention as an ethical and sustainable cell culture media supplement in biomedical research and cell therapy production. However, HPL is subject to decisive disadvantages such as batch differences and lack of storage stability. To overcome these limitations and to enhance the applicability of HPL, we developed an HPL manufacturing protocol including a lyophilization process. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of HPL lyophilization on parameters of quality control, including growth factor concentrations and the culture of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs).MethodsWe performed a paired comparison of six batches of HPL and lyophilized HPL (L-HPL) regarding the quality parameters pH, total protein, osmolality, sodium, potassium and chloride concentration. Concentrations of 11 growth factors and cytokines were compared between HPL and L-HPL. Additionally, we determined cell yield, proliferation capacity, viability and trilineage differentiation potential of hMSCs following expansion in HPL- and L-HPL-supplemented cell culture media.ResultsQuantification of the quality parameters revealed non-altered pH, osmolality and potassium concentrations and slightly lower total protein, sodium and chloride concentrations of L-HPL compared to HPL. Growth factor and cytokine concentrations did not differ between HPL and L-HPL. Cell yield, division cycles and viability of hMSCs cultured in either HPL- or L-HPL-containing media were comparable. Cells differentiated in medium containing L-HPL showed a slightly higher capacity for osteogenic differentiation, while adipogenic differentiation and chondrogenic differentiation potentials remained unchanged.ConclusionWe successfully developed a method to produce well-applicable L-HPL. The comparison of L-HPL with HPL did not reveal any relevant differences regarding quality control parameters of routine testing, growth factor concentrations and hMSC functionality, demonstrating the suitability of L-HPL as a cell culture supplement. These results emphasize the potential of L-HPL as a sustainable and ethical alternative to animal-derived serum products in biomedical research and drug development.

Syphilis in a blood bank in Argentina: Prevalence trends and risk factors.

Worldwide, there has been a worrying increase in the prevalence of syphilis. Blood banks have a major role in monitoring the trend of these events, despite the bias due to the altruistic donation strategy. To determine the seroprevalence of syphilis and analyse its association with defined risk factors among blood donors at the regional blood center at Hospital Prof. Dr. J. P. Garrahan, period 2016-2022. Donor screening was performed with treponemal and non-treponemal tests to determine the prevalence of active and past syphilis. Sociodemographic characteristics of donors were analysed and the association with potential risk factors was assessed. A total of 72 874 donations were processed during the study period. The overall prevalence of specific anti-Treponema pallidum antibodies was 0.69% (95% CI = 0.63-0.75). Active syphilis seroprevalence was 0.30% (95% CI = 0.25-0.33). Not active syphilis seroprevalence was 0.39% (95% CI = 0.35-0.44). Anti-T. pallidum seroprevalence among first-time donations was 1.26% (95% CI = 1.14-1.38) while in repeat donations it was 0.16% (95% CI = 0.12-0.21). In univariate analysis, we found an association between syphilis and having a history of any sexually transmitted infection (OR: 5.09, 95% CI = 2.20-11.70, p < 0.01) and being first-time donors (OR: 3.48, 95% CI = 1.70-7.09, p = 0.0001). Although the overall prevalence of syphilis is 0.69%, among repeat donors prevalence as low as 0.16% was found. This demonstrates the need to maintain and improve screening strategies and promotion of voluntary, altruistic and repeat donation.

Distribution of ABO and Rhesus Blood Groups among Blood Donor Attending Transfusion Medicine Department of Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College

Introduction: The ABO blood group system was the first human blood group system to be discovered by Karl Landsteiner in 1900. Next to ABO, Rhesus system the second most significant blood group system. Blood group is applied to the genetically determined antigen which can be detected on the red cell surface of an individual by specific antibody. The aim of this study to examine the distribution patterns of ABO and Rh-D blood group among the blood donor attending at Transfusion Medicine Department in CMOSH. It is helpful to increase social awareness among the population and maintain safe blood transfusion to patient. Materials and methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted in the Department of Transfusion Medicine,Chattagram Maa O Shishu Hospital Medical College, from January to December 2022. After proper ethical consideration a total of 7,289 blood donors were included in this study. ABO and Rh blood groupings were carried out in our blood bank by standard tile techniques. Results: Among 7,289 blood donors male blood donors were 6,936(95.15%), female blood donors were 353(4.84%).2,775 (38.07%) blood donor were identified as having blood group B while 2,185 (29.97%) were blood group O, 1702( 23.35%) and 627(8.6%)were blood group A and AB respectively. Rh-D positive were 6,960(95.48%) and Rh-D negative were 329(4.51%). Conclusion: The knowledge of ABO and Rhesus D blood group is important in blood transfusion service.Study of blood grouping not only generates a simple database but also create a great social awareness about self-blood grouping and safe blood transfusion among the population of a country. Chatt Maa Shi Hosp Med Coll J; Vol.23 (1); January 2024; Page 52-55

Perceived problems associated with perioperative blood product preparation.

Timely blood product preparation is important for patients undergoing surgery with a high risk of blood loss. However, in circumstances where no blood refrigerators exist in the operating room theatre complex, numerous potential problem sources during blood product preparation may lead to delays, and tense interpersonal interactions between anaesthesia and blood bank personnel can ensue. To evaluate this at our institution, an anonymous online survey was sent to anaesthesia providers and blood bank technologists. The primary outcome was to determine what blood preparation time anaesthesia providers believed was reasonable to expect, compared to the institutional standard of 90 min. Of the 75 (36%) anaesthesia providers surveyed, 94.9% considered <90 min was reasonable for blood to be prepared and 79.7% considered <60 min was reasonable. There were 92 (42%) total survey respondents, with 54.8% reporting problems to occur 'frequently' or 'always'. The perceived frequency of 18 different possible problem sources was identified. Overall, the results suggest problems with perioperative blood product preparation occur frequently and the expectations of the anaesthetic team around preparation time and availability of blood products are not met. Many potential problem areas were identified that warrant further investigation into the ongoing efforts to improve workflow and interdisciplinary interactions.

Incidence and estimated risk of residual transmission of hepatitis a virus and parvovirus B19 by blood transfusion in the state of Rio De Janeiro – Brazil: a retrospective study

BackgroundNonenveloped viruses, such as hepatitis A virus (HAV) and parvovirus B19 (B19V), are not inactivated by detergents and solvents commonly used to manufacture plasma derivatives. Cases of transfusion-transmitted HAV and B19V have already been described in several countries. This study aimed to determine the incidence of HAV and B19V asymptomatic infections in blood donors from Rio de Janeiro and evaluate the residual risk of transmission to blood derivative recipients.MethodsFrom 2018 to 2019, 1,204 plasma samples were tested by PCR and real-time PCR. HAV and B19V genotypes were determined through sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The risk of transfusion transmission was determined using a Bayesian statistical approach.ResultsHAV-RNA and B19V-DNA were detected in 1.66 (95% CI 0.26–5.48) and 3.32 (95% CI 1.00-7.81) per 1000 donors, respectively. For HAV, all positive samples were classified as subgenotype IB. For B19V, the sequenced samples belonged to genotype 1A. The estimated numbers of infectious blood bags with HAV and B19V were 587 (95% CI 92-1936) and 880 (95% CI 355–2759), respectively.ConclusionThis study originally assessed the incidence of both Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) and B19 Virus (B19V) among Brazilian blood donors, as well as the potential risk of residual transmission of these infections through blood transfusions. Our findings can contribute to future cost-effective studies aimed at implementing screening methods for these viruses, which could enhance discussion on surveillance in blood banks and protective measures for blood recipients.