Infectious Disease Markers Research Articles

Changes in transfusion-transmissible infection prevalence and demographics among US blood donors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the US blood supply. We compared blood donor demography and infectious disease prevalence before and during the pandemic using a large multicenter database. Data were categorized as "Before COVID-19" (March 2018-February 2020) or "During COVID-19" (March 2020-February 2022). Donor demographics, donation frequency, and infectious marker prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV were compared for the two time periods. The odds of a donor testing positive for these infections among the two time periods were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. Our study assessed a total of 26,672,213 donations including 13,430,380 before and 13,241,833 during COVID-19. There were significantly more donations from donors who were female, aged 40 and older, white, and repeat, during COVID-19. Donation frequency comparison quantified the increase in donations from donors who were white, female, older, and repeat during the pandemic. The prevalence of HIV and HCV decreased significantly during COVID-19 compared to before, but not for HBV. For HIV, the adjusted odds of infection during the pandemic did not differ but for HBV, the odds were significantly more likely during the pandemic and were significantly lower for HCV. Demographics and infectious disease marker prevalence changed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Prevalence of each infection in the donor population will continue to be monitored to determine if changes were specific to the pandemic period.

First characterization of major histocompatibility complex class II DRB3 diversity in cattle breeds raised in Egypt

Genes encoding bovine leukocyte antigen (BoLA) enable the immune system to identify pathogens. Therefore, these genes have been used as genetic markers for infectious and autoimmune diseases as well as for immunological traits in cattle. Although BoLA polymorphisms have been reported in various cattle breeds worldwide, they have not been studied in cattle populations in Egypt. In this study, we characterized BoLA-DRB3 in two local Egyptian populations and one foreign population using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) method. Fifty-four previously reported BoLA-DRB3 alleles and eight new alleles (BoLA-DRB3*005:08, *015:07, *016:03, *017:04, *020:02:02, *021:03, *164:01, and *165:01) were identified. Alignment analysis of the eight new alleles revealed 90.7–98.9 %, and 83.1–97.8 % nucleotide and amino acid identities, respectively, with the BoLA-DRB3 cDNA clone NR-1. Interestingly, BoLA-DRB3 in Egyptian cattle showed a high degree of allelic diversity in native (na = 28, hE > 0.95), mixed (na = 61, hE > 0.96), and Holstein (na = 18, hE > 0.88) populations. BoLA-DRB3*002:01 (14.3 %), BoLA-DRB3*001:01 (8.5 %), and BoLA-DRB3*015:01 (20.2 %) were the most frequent alleles in native, mixed, and Holstein populations, respectively, indicating that the genetic profiles differed in each population. Based on the allele frequencies of BoLA-DRB3, genetic variation among Egyptian, Asian, African, and American breeds was examined using Nei’s distances and principal component analysis. The results suggested that native and mixed cattle populations were most closely associated with African breeds in terms of their gene pool, whereas Holstein cattle were more distinct from the other breeds and were closely related to Holstein cattle populations from other countries.

Procalcitonin and Presepsin as Markers of Infectious Respiratory Diseases in Children: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Procalcitonin and presepsin have been suggested to be able to discriminate bacterial and viral infections, also in children. This scoping review aims to better explore the available evidence around the potential role of these biomarkers in the subgroup of children with respiratory infectious diseases. We performed a systematic scoping review of studies published until March 2023 in the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and SCOPUS. In children with bacterial infection, procalcitonin values ranged from 0.5 ng/mL to 8.31 ng/dL, while in those hospitalized in an intensive care unit ranged from 0.6 ng/dL to 452.8 ng/dL with PCR from 2 ng/dL to 51.7 ng/dL. In children with viral infections, procalcitonin value values ranged from 0.2 ng/dL to 0.84 ng/dL, while in those hospitalized in an intensive care unit ranged from 0.61 ng/dL to 46.6 ng/dL. No studies on presepsin in children with respiratory infections were retrieved. Although the available literature is highly heterogeneous, evidence does not suggest a role of procalcitonin in accurately differentiating bacterial and viral infections in children with respiratory infections. In future, new approaches based on multiple markers may better help determine which febrile children require antibiotics.

Survey of the present health & nutritional status of Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar Island.

Shompens are one of the two mongoloid tribes of Nicobar district. There is little information about their recent health status since the last survey which was conducted in 1998. Hence, a comprehensive health and nutritional survey was conducted in March 2017 to assess the changes. The survey was carried out by a joint team of various organizations including the ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre and Tribal Welfare and Health Department both located in Port Blair. A detailed health and nutrition survey of the Shompen community was planned by deputing a field research team. The survey included demographic data, anthropometric data, clinical examination, screening for the markers of infectious diseases, respiratory pathogens, tuberculosis and haemoglobinopathies. About half of the Shompen adults (both males and females) had a body mass index (BMI) of ≥23. However, Shompen children had a good nutritional status with no child suffering from undernutrition. As per BMI for age, none of the children <5 yr were under-nourished, while in the 5-17 yr group, 12 per cent of children were undernourished. Anaemia prevalence was about 48.3 per cent, with 54 per cent prevalence in females and 43.8 per cent in males. Fungal infection of the skin, acute respiratory infection and abdominal pain were the common morbidities observed. None had active pulmonary tuberculosis. Of 38 Shompens screened for IgG (immunoglobulin G) antibodies, 42.1 and 18.4 per cent were positive for measles and rubella, respectively. Seroprevalence of Leptospira was 35.5 per cent. The prevalence of hypertension was 13.2 per cent, whereas another 28.9 per cent were pre-hypertensive. The population structure of the Shompen is not skewed and under nutrition was not widely prevalent among the children of <5 yr. The other positive observations were the absence of malaria, filariasis and dengue. However, there was natural infection of measles and rubella. Fungal skin infection and intestinal parasitic infestations were widely prevalent. Although cardiovascular risk profile was low, there were signs of emerging risk of over-weight, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. These together with the high prevalence of smokeless tobacco use may have a serious effect on the cardiovascular disease susceptibility of the Shompen population in the future.

Salivary antioxidents in relation to caries severity among a group of young adults

Background: Saliva represents the body's stages of toxicological, hormonal, immunological, and markers of many infectious disease and disorders, so that it's an ideal tool for monitoring oral and systemic health.&#x0D; Antioxidants help the body's defensive system by reducing oxidative stress.&#x0D; &#x0D; Aims of the study: The study was directed to estimate the carious lesion experience (DMFS) in relation to salivary superoxide dismutase and total protein among adults by age and gender.&#x0D; &#x0D; Materials and methods: Caries experiences was assessed according to DMFS index, after investigation eighty peoples of an age 19-22 years for both genders. Stimulated salivary samples were together and chemically assessed to detect selected salivary antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, total protein), under standardized condition. Total protein and superoxide dismutase were measured by spectrophotometric examination.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: With not-significant differences, total protein was found to be higher in the caries active group than in the caries free group, but salivary superoxide dismutase was the opposite. with statistically not-significant differences, females had a greater average of the salivary total protein than men, whereas men had a greater average of salivary superoxide dismutase than females. the first group (19-20 years) had a not-significant greater average salivary total protein and salivary superoxide dismutase than the second group (21-22 years).&#x0D; Conclusion: Salivary superoxide dismutase is the important factor in dental caries prevention. As a result, alterations in salivary content are crucial in the development and progression of dental caries.

External quality control program in infectious diseases screening at laboratories and blood banks in Latin America: an analysis of the past 5 years.

To evaluate the screening of blood samples for infectious disease markers at laboratories and blood banks in Latin America per the findings of an External Quality Assessment Program (EQAP). This qualitative analysis used data from the EQAP coordinated by the Fundação Pro Sangue Hemocentro de São Paulo with the support of the Pan American Health Organization to assess the performance of blood screening for infectious diseases from 2014 to 2018 in Latin America. Each participating laboratory or blood bank received an identical blind panel with 24 blood samples with variable reactivity for all the screening parameters. Panels were processed at each participating facility and results were returned to the Fundação Pro Sangue Hemocentro de São Paulo for individual and joint analyses. Two types of discrepant results were potential failures: false positive results (FPRs) and false nonreactive results (FNRRs). A total of 23 136 samples were evaluated. Global rates of FPR, FNRR, and concordant results were 0.3%, 1.0% and 98.7%, respectively. Seven FNRRs were found for HBsAg (1.0%), 12 for syphilis (2.6%), and 21 for Chagas disease (2.9%). No FNRRs were found for the HIV, HCV, and HTLV viruses. The average accuracy of all the laboratories and blood banks participating in the EQAP during the study period was 99.5% (standard deviation, 0.5%). The findings of this qualitative analysis are positive for blood safety in Latin America, with an average accuracy of 99.5% among the participating laboratories and blood banks. This report reflects an important improvement in blood bank serological screening EQAP-PAHO report since the 2003.

Valveless On-Chip Aliquoting for Molecular Diagnosis.

The detection of nucleic acids as specific markers of infectious diseases is commonly implemented in molecular biology laboratories. The translation of these benchtop assays to a lab-on-a-chip format demands huge efforts of integration and automation. The present work is motivated by a strong requirement often posed by molecular assays that combine isothermal amplification and CRISPR/Cas-based detection: after amplification, a 2-8 microliter aliquot of the reaction products must be taken for the subsequent reaction. In order to fulfill this technical problem, we have designed and prototyped a microfluidic device that is able to meter and aliquot in the required range during the stepped assay. The operation is achieved by integrating a porous material that retains the desired amount of liquid after removing the excess reaction products, an innovative solution that avoids valving and external actuation. The prototypes were calibrated and experimentally tested to demonstrate the overall performance (general fluidics, metering, aliquoting, mixing and reaction). The proposed aliquoting method is fully compatible with additional functions, such as sample concentration or reagent storage, and could be further employed in alternative applications beyond molecular diagnosis.

Metabolomics meets systems immunology.

Metabolic processes play a critical role in immune regulation. Metabolomics is the systematic analysis of small molecules (metabolites) in organisms or biological samples, providing an opportunity to comprehensively study interactions between metabolism and immunity in physiology and disease. Integrating metabolomics into systems immunology allows the exploration of the interactions of multilayered features in the biological system and the molecular regulatory mechanism of these features. Here, we provide an overview on recent technological developments of metabolomic applications in immunological research. To begin, two widely used metabolomics approaches are compared: targeted and untargeted metabolomics. Then, we provide a comprehensive overview of the analysis workflow and the computational tools available, including sample preparation, raw spectra data preprocessing, data processing, statistical analysis, and interpretation. Third, we describe how to integrate metabolomics with other omics approaches in immunological studies using available tools. Finally, we discuss new developments in metabolomics and its prospects for immunology research. This review provides guidance to researchers using metabolomics and multiomics in immunity research, thus facilitating the application of systems immunology to disease research.

Presepsin and procalcitonin as markers of infectious respiratory diseases in children: a protocol for a scoping review of the literature

Background: Presepsin is a new inflammatory marker used in clinical practice for the diagnosis of severe bacterial infections, which might be used in combination or substitution of other classical indexes such as procalcitonin. Presepsin has been studied mainly in specific categories of patients (generally adults, critically ill patients or neutropenic children) to identify severe bacterial infections and to predict the mortality risk, while the role of this marker in discriminating bacterial from viral infections in otherwise healthy children of different age groups is less examined. This scoping review aims to better explore available evidence around the potential role of presepsin in pediatric respiratory infectious diseases, analyzing its ability to distinguish the severity and type of respiratory pathology and comparing it with a classic inflammation index such as procalcitonin. Methods: We started our research in February 2023 in the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane and SCOPUS. The main review question will be “What is known about the diagnostic role of presepsin and/or procalcitoninin the differential diagnosis of respiratory tract infection’s severity and etiology?” We will include randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective observational studies, performed on children and adolescents (younger than 18 years), hospitalized or not, with a confirmed diagnosis of upper and/or lower respiratory infectious disease. We will include children diagnosed with pneumonia, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, croup, and other types of infectious respiratory diseases. To report our findings, we will follow Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. Dissemination: The findings of this review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented in national and international conferences.

Reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted infectious disease markers in blood and blood component donations: Movement from remunerated to voluntary, non-remunerated donations in Lithuania from 2013 to 2020.

Lithuania has a long history of remunerated donations. The first steps towards voluntary, non-remunerated blood and blood component donations started in 2004. Lithuania achieved 99.98% voluntary non-remunerated donations (VNRDs) in 2020. This study aimed to assess the risk of transfusion-transmitted infectious (TTI) disease markers for remunerated donations in comparison with VNRDs in Lithuania from 2013 to 2020. Data were obtained from the Lithuanian Blood Donor Register. The prevalence was calculated as the rate between the number of confirmed positive results for all TTI disease markers (serological anti-HCV, HBsAg, Ag/anti-HIV 1 and 2, and syphilis, and/or HCV, HBV, and HIV-1 NAT) per 100 donations. The relative risk of infectious disease markers for remunerated donations was then estimated. In total, 796310 donations were made. Altogether, 2743 donations were positive for TTI markers as follows: HCV, 1318; HBV, 768; syphilis, 583; and HIV 1 and 2, 74. The prevalence of confirmed TTI markers were 2.86, 0.97, 0.18, and 0.04 per 100 first-time remunerated donations, first-time VNRDs, repeat remunerated donations, and repeat VNRDs, respectively. Remunerated first-time and repeat donations had a statistically higher prevalence of TTI disease markers than VNRDs. First-time and repeat remunerated donations had statistically significantly higher relative risks of confirmed TTI disease markers than VNRD. In conclusion, the risks of TTI disease markers for remunerated first-time and repeat blood and its component donations are significantly higher than those for VNRDs.

Screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia; extending a role for blood programs in promoting public health

Abstract Background Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a genetic disorder characterized by high levels of cholesterol with evidence of coronary arterial disease at an early age. The prevalence of FH has been recently reported as 1/200 to 1/250 in the general population and although early identification and treatment is recommended (2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidaemias), the disorder is largely underdiagnosed in asymptomatic individuals.1 A number of blood programs has recognised the opportunity that blood donation provides to identify ostensibly healthy individuals who might be unaware of risks to their health. These programs have included, along with mandated serological testing, such assays as non-fasting total cholesterol (TC) and haemoglobin A1C. They have also taken steps to notify individuals whose results suggest risk for cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Purpose Since our blood donation program has a long history of providing donors information about their TC, we tested whether some donors with elevated TC met the criteria for FH. Methods We reviewed unlinked total non-fasting cholesterol results from volunteers donating between 2015 and June 2019. Cholesterols were measured on a chemistry analyzer system (Beckman Coulter AU680) on residual blood after routine testing for infectious disease markers. For volunteers donating more than once, we included only their highest TC recording. TC was classified by American Heart Association (AHA) 2020 Goal Metrics as high, if ≥240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L) in donors ≥20 years of age and ≥200 (5.1 mmol/L) in donors &amp;lt;20 years of age. 2 We applied the United States Center for Disease Control Cooperative MEDPED diagnostic criteria for FH. Using these criteria, FH is diagnosed when TC exceeds 270 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) in individuals less than 20, 290 mg/dL (7.5 mmol/L) in individuals 20 to 29, 340 mg/dL (8.8 mmol/L) in individuals 30 to 39, and 360 mg/dL (9.3 mmol/L) in individuals 40 years of age and older. 3 Results There were 432,389 unique donors during the study period. The overall prevalence of high cholesterol, 11.1% and the prevalence of FH 0.24% are similar to published data for the general population. As shown in the table, the prevalence of FH was highest in blood donors 20 to 29 years of age and was lower in those over 30 years, while the prevalence of high TC was higher in older age groups. Conclusion There is a subset of blood donors, at all ages who can be identified as satisfying familial hypercholesterolaemia criteria that could benefit from additional evaluation and family screening. A sizeable proportion of blood donors have high cholesterol despite not having FH. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Abstract 31 Testing of Cord Blood Units for Non-Hematopoietic Markers

IntroductionCord blood units (CBU) are tested at banking for markers relevant to donor safety (infectious disease markers) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (cellularity and HLA typing). As CBUs are being increasingly used for new, non-transplant purposes, additional markers are sometimes needed for CBU selection.ObjectiveWe describe here our procedure for testing CBU, looking for specific NK cell characteristics: KIR haplotype B (associated with more activating KIRs), and Fc gamma receptor III A (FCGR3A) 158 V/V (presence of a homozygous valine in position 158) polymorphism (which has a higher affinity for IgG), as requested by some of our clients for non-transplant studies.MethodsFirst, a list of eligible CBUs was established, based on the order specifications. Testing was requested from an outside lab (Histogenetics, Ossining, New York). As CBU DNA is a precious resource, we wanted to limit the number of new samples to be sent by first testing leftover samples from HLA typing, then sending additional samples to the lab, to reach the required number of CBUs. Testing was done sequentially (Figure 1): first, KIR typing, then FCGR3A polymorphism on the CBU with KIR B haplotype.ResultsA total of 216 samples were selected for KIR testing (130 from stored DNA and 86 from newly sent DNA); 154 (71%) were found to have at least one B haplotype receptor. For those, FCGR3A polymorphism was tested; 60 samples (39%) were F/F, 70 (46%) F/V, and 23 (15%) V/V (Figure 1), in line with expected frequencies from the literature. Average TAT for KIR testing was 13 days and an additional 18 days for FCGRA3.Figure 1.Testing protocol.DiscussionPerforming additional testing can easily be integrated into a bank’s routine and help select CBU for purposes other than transplantation. When several markers are needed, sequential testing is an efficient and cost-saving method.

Wastewater surveillance for rapid identification of infectious diseases in prisons

Wastewater surveillance for rapid identification of infectious diseases in prisons

Improving the turnaround times of infectious disease markers reporting in an NHS stem cell department

The Stem Cell Donation and Transplantation Department at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) facilitates unrelated donor haematopoietic stem cell transplantations for patients with life-threatening haematological malignancies or other blood diseases....

Trends of Infectious Disease Markers Among Healthy Blood Donors In Northern India: A Ten Year Study

ObjectiveTransfusion transmitted infection (TTI) is a major hazard for blood transfusion. The present retrospective chart review was undertaken to study the demographic profile and TTI trends among blood donors to see impact of interventions on blood safety. MethodsData of donors and TTI screening results from 2010 to 2019 were analyzed. Degree of significance was determined by Chi square test. ResultsOut of 1,68,570 donors, 33,227 (19.7%) were voluntary and 1,35,343 (80.3%) were replacement with 2.8% females and 54% belonging to the age group 18–29 years. Voluntary donation increased by only 3% in ten years and total reactivity rate was 1.6%. The reactive rate for all infections was 0.8% in volunteer donors and 1.95% in replacement donors (p-value < 0.001). The prevalence of HBsAg, HCV, HIV and syphilis showed a significant decline from 2010 to 2014. Of the donors who were reactive for HBV, 8.7% were missed by ELISA but detected by NAT. Donor reactivity for malaria remained the same in this period. ConclusionNewer strategies and effort to increase voluntary donation helping the general public adopt a healthy lifestyle is urgently needed in India. Higher prevalence of TTI among replacement donors is substantiated by this study. Role of counseling of donors cannot be overemphasized. Utility of malaria screening for blood donors needs to be reexamined by evaluating evidences from other blood banks. A rational policy approach, based on a careful assessment of epidemiological data, cost effectiveness analysis, and opinion of stakeholders is necessary for universal adoption of NAT.

Identification of MicroRNAs as Potential Blood-Based Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Therapeutic Monitoring of Active Tuberculosis.

Early diagnosis increases the treatment success rate for active tuberculosis (ATB) and decreases mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been studied as blood-based markers of several infectious diseases. We performed miRNA profiling to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs using whole blood samples from 10 healthy controls (HCs), 15 subjects with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), and 12 patients with ATB, and investigated the expression of the top six miRNAs at diagnosis and over the treatment period in addition to performing miRNA-target gene network and gene ontology analyses. miRNA profiling identified 84 DE miRNAs in patients with ATB, including 80 upregulated and four downregulated miRNAs. Receiver operating characteristic curves of the top six miRNAs exhibited excellent distinguishing efficiency with an area under curve (AUC) value > 0.85. Among them, miR-199a-3p and miR-6886-3p can differentiate between ATB and LTBI. Anti-TB treatment restored the levels of miR-199b-3p, miR-199a-3p, miR-16-5p, and miR-374c-5p to HC levels. Furthermore, 108 predicted target genes were related to the regulation of cellular amide metabolism, intrinsic apoptotic signaling, translation, transforming growth factor beta receptor signaling, and cysteine-type endopeptidase activity. The DE miRNAs identified herein are potential biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring in ATB.

Turn around time in matched unrelated donor search workup national versus international registries: Retrospective study

Background: Timeline is a key factor for hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipient. HSCT by matched unrelated donor (MUD) is a standard definitive therapeutic approach for many hematological disorders which are not amenable to chemotherapy and other conventional treatment. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare the turnaround time (TAT) involved in completion of MUD HSCT workup from an Indian registry (Genebandhu) with international registries. Materials and Methods: On receipt of pre-transplant matching request through a transplant physician, patient's human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type was entered in both Genebandhu and World Marrow Donor Association search tool for initiating a “search.” The software gave the descending order of the best possible matches by performing computational analysis. The search result was considered a “match” when potential 10/10 HLA match was found. The average TAT was calculated in the middle of search request and HLA confirmatory typing (CT) and infectious disease marker (IDM). Further, TAT was also determined between the infusion of harvested stem cell product and CT and IDM. At last, the total time engaged in completion of each MUD HSCT workup was determined and compared in national versus international registries. Results: The average TAT involved in between search request and CT and IDM was 71 days in case of global registry and 67 days in case of Genebandhu. Similarly, the average TAT involved between infusion of harvested cell product and CT and IDM testing in case of donor identified in global stem cell registry was 65 days whereas 45 days in case of Genebandhu. At last, the average time associated with the finishing of a MUD workup was 136 days in case of global registry, whereas 112 days in the case of Genebandhu at P ≤ 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Conclusion: To conclude, the average TAT obtained through this study clearly demonstrates the advantages in terms of donor availability for MUD HSCT through the national registry.

Ultrasensitive Photochemical Immunosensor Based on Flowerlike SnO2/BiOI/Ag2S Composites for Detection of Procalcitonin.

Based on the necessity and urgency of detecting infectious disease marker procalcitonin (PCT), a novel unlabeled photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor was prepared for the rapid and sensitive detection of PCT. Firstly, SnO2 porous nanoflowers with good photocatalytic performance were prepared by combining hydrothermal synthesis and calcining. BiOI nanoflowers were synthesized by facile ultrasonic mixed reaction. Ag2S quantum dots were deposited on SnO2/BiOI composites by in situ growth method. The SnO2/BiOI/Ag2S composites with excellent photoelectric properties were employed as substrate material, which could provide significantly enhanced and stable signal because of the energy level matching of SnO2, BiOI and Ag2S and the good light absorption performance. Accordingly, a PEC immunosensor based on SnO2/BiOI/Ag2S was constructed by using the layered modification method to achieve high sensitivity analysis of PCT. The linear dynamic range of the detection method was 0.50 pg·mL−1~100 ng·mL−1, and the detection limit was 0.14 pg·mL−1. In addition, the designed PEC immunosensor exhibited satisfactory sensitivity, selectivity, stability and repeatability, which opened up a new avenue for the analyzation of PCT and further provided guidance for antibiotic therapy.

Plasma calprotectin in the emergency department: a potential clinical biomarker for patients with infectious diseases

Increased levels of plasma calprotectin are reported in patients with infectious diseases. However, the clinical usefulness of calprotectin as a biomarker to identify patients with infectious diseases in the emergency department (ED) setting has not been investigated. To study the ability of calprotectin to discriminate patients with acute infectious diseases and dyspnea from patients with other causes of acute dyspnea in the ED setting. Patients aged ≥18 years seeking ED during daytime on weekdays between March 2013 and July 2018, with acute dyspnea, were included. Participants (n = 1287) were triaged according to Medical Emergency Triage and Treatment System-Adult score (METTS-A) or Rapid Emergency Triage and Treatment System (RETTS), and blood samples were collected. The association between calprotectin and other markers of infectious diseases, i.e. biomarkers (CRP, leucocytes) and body temperature, was studied. The predictive value of calprotectin for the outcome of acute infection was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Univariate cross-sectional regression showed significant associations between calprotectin and leucocytes, CRP and body temperature. Patients with severe infections including pneumonia (n = 119) had significantly higher concentrations of calprotectin compared to patients with heart failure (n = 162) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 183). When tested for the outcome of acute infection (n = 109), the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) was for CRP 0.83 and for calprotectin 0.78. Plasma calprotectin identifies infectious diseases in ED patients with acute dyspnea, and the clinical usefulness of Calprotectin in the ED has to be further studied.

ANALYSIS OF BLOOD DONOR DEFERRAL PATTERN AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND: Safety of blood and blood products is a major problem all over the world screening for the markers of infectious diseases alone is an incomplete solution. One of the most important steps in improving the safety is donor selection donors who do not meet selection criteria are deferred either temporarily or permanently in view of both donor and recipient safety. AIMS: To analyse blood donor deferral pattern in our tertiary care blood center. Methods: Data of blood donor deferral were evaluated retrospectively from January 2020 to April 2021 in Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion. Donor selection and deferral was done as per national guidelines. RESULTS: Out of 13042 blood donors came to donate in our blood bank 7.71% (1006) were deferred Out of 1006, 67.29% (677) were temporarily deferred whereas 32.70% (329) were permanently deferred. The deferral rate for females and males was 0.96 % (126) and 6.74% (880) respectively. The most common cause for deferral was due to low hemoglobin 25.70% (174) and followed by hypertensive donors 50.76% (167).Other causes for deferral was donor on medications 19.94%(135), failed phlebotomy 9.89%(66), low blood pressure 7.09%(48),tattoo 6.49% (44),skin lesions at phlebotomy site 5.31% (36), Major surgery 4.13%(28), vaccination 3.98% (27), cough and cold 3.54%(24), under weight 3.39% (23), Minor surgery 1.47% (10), Menstruation 1.47% (10), Typhoid 1.18% (08), underage 1.18% (08), High Risk Behavior 2.43% (08), Dengue 0.73%, Asthma 0.30%, Malaria 0.44%, Diarrhea 0.29%, smoking 0.14%, Abortion 0.14%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study temporary deferral was most common. Females were deferred more common than male. Most common deferral reason is low hemoglobin. Temporary differed donors require proper follow up and management so as not to lead diminished supply of future donors.