Regular Donors Research Articles

Occurrence of <i>Salmonella</i> Enteric Serovar Typhi Antibodies among Blood Donors in Ghana

Background: Donated blood contaminated with S. Typhi can cause post-transfusion sepsis. This study aimed to determine the correlation between some risk factors of typhoid fever and seroprevalence of antibodies against S. Typhi among blood donors. Methodology: Following informed consent, socio-demographic and information on risk factors of typhoid infection was obtained using pre-structured questionnaires from 400 apparently healthy blood donors at the Tema General Hospital. Blood was also collected for serology and cultured for identification of pathogens by standard bacteriological method. Results: Blood culture did not reveal any S. Typhi isolate out of the tested 400 (348 males and 52 females) samples from apparently healthy blood donors. However, IgM and IgG antibody seroprevalence of 9.3% and 3.5% were detected. Age group of 17 - 24 years was the highest risk group, persons with a history of typhoid infection, and sources of drinking water were major risk factors for typhoid infection. It was also observed that prevalence of IgM was highest among new donors (62.2%), but lower in donors with a history of 1 to 3 blood donations (32.4%) and least among regular donors (>3 donations (5.4%)). In addition, typhoid prevention awareness and typhoid knowledge (knowledge about typhoid transmission) among the donors were poor (4.3% and 5.9% respectively). Conclusions: This study has shown an overall seroprevalence of 9% and 3.5% for IgM and IgG antibodies respectively among blood donors in the Tema area in Ghana. We advocate for the mandatory screening of donor units intended for transfusion for S. Typhi. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for the health education of all persons in Ghana on preventive measures and the spread of S. Typhi.

Comparative Analysis of Red Cell Parameters of First-time and Repeat Blood Donors: A Descriptive Study

Introduction: Blood transfusion services form an essential component of any healthcare system and it is imperative to provide adequate and safe blood for management of patients. Voluntary blood donors form the backbone of this service. However, regular donation by such voluntary donors may cause significant depletion of iron stores in the body. This has the potential to adversely affect the donor’s health, and also to lower the quality of blood being collected subsequently. The temporary deferral of such donors also causes reluctance to return for future blood donations, leading to decrease in size of the donor pool. The prompt detection of subclinical iron deficiency in voluntary blood donors is the need of the hour. Aim: To compare and analyse the difference in red cell parameters of first-time and repeat blood donors. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted by the Department of Blood Bank and Pathology at Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, from July 2021 to December 2022. After prospective donors were assessed for suitability of blood donation, written informed consent was obtained, and 5 mL venous blood was collected into an Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)- anticoagulated vial via the antecubital fossa. Complete blood count was performed within one hour of collection using an automated haematology analyser. The parameters analysed in the study were Red Blood Cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), and Red cell Distribution Width (RDW). The generated data was compiled and statistical analysis, with Kruskal-Wallis test (at a p-value of 0.05) and post-hoc Dunn test was performed to determine the significant differences, if any. Results: The study included 455 participants, out of which 210 were repeat blood donors. The significant differences for MCV, MCH and RDW between groups defined by number of donations (p-value <0.001) was observed. The difference was most significant between the donors having five or more donations compared to donors having no previous donations. No significant differences were observed for other parameters, with p-values for RBC count, haemoglobin, and MCHC being 0.3, 0.07, and 0.09, respectively. Conclusion: Repeat blood donors having low MCV and MCH along with high RDW, with haemoglobin values within normal range, are most susceptible to having subclinical iron deficiency, which needs to be identified and managed pre-emptively, before development of Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA). This is necessary in order to retain regular and repeat voluntary blood donors, and also to ensure adequate quality of collected blood.

Extended Phenotyping to Identify Blood Donors for an Institutional Rare Donor Registry

Abstract Background: Alloantibody formation to red cell antigens, sometimes seen in patients receiving multiple transfusions, are capable of causing hemolytic transfusion reactions when transfused with blood cells that are positive for the corresponding antigens. Providing them with red cells negative to these antigens becomes imperative. There is a need to have a pool of donors known to be negative for such antigens to provide blood units to such patients. Aim: The aim of the study is to identify rare donors in our population and register them for need-based blood unit collection for patients when phenotype-specific blood units are required. Methodology: Regular blood donors after consent were included for extended phenotyping for antigens c, C, e, E, K, k, Lea, Leb, Lua, Lub, P1, Kpa, Kpb, Jka, JKb, M, N, S, s, Fya, and Fyb by serological testing using monoclonal antisera. The phenotypes that were either negative for high-frequency antigens such as H, k, or multiple common antigen negative phenotypes were identified and enrolled as rare blood donors. Results: A total of 202 donors were completely phenotyped for the said 21 antigens. We identified 14 such donors, 7 of whom were high-frequency antigen-negative and 7 were multiple common antigen-negative phenotypes. The turnaround time for providing blood for patients requiring such units has drastically reduced with this initiative. A unit of such a rare phenotype was collected and shipped to Pune for a patient who required it within 24 h. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for a countrywide rare donor registry to coalesce the data from all centers with the facility for phenotyping. This will reduce the turnaround time of searching for donors for a particular phenotype, contributing to better patient care, and emergency management.

Serial analysis of hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters alterations in regular healthy voluntary donors during plateletpheresis donation.

The long-term effect of regular plateletpheresis on donors has not been characterized. Hence, we planned to study the long-term alterations in hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters in regular repeat platelet apheresis donors. Thirty-three healthy voluntary regular repeat apheresis donors presenting for platelet donation, fulfilling the requisite donor selection criteria, underwent sequential analysis of the hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters over 1 year. A total of 33 regular repeat donors were enrolled in the study; out of these, 22 could be followed up to 3 months, 12 up to 6 months, and 10 donors up to 12 months for their hematological, biochemical, and immunological parameters. Overall, there was no significant change in hematological profile except a rise in platelet count at 3 months (P = 0.023) with no significant difference at 6 and 12 months from the baseline. In addition, serum thrombopoietin levels at 3 months (P = 0.010) and serum erythropoietin at 6 months (P = 0.01) were significantly higher than baseline. Mean platelet volume was significantly higher from baseline at 12 months (P = 0.00). Serum protein, lymphocyte subpopulation, and serum ferritin did not show any significant change from baseline over 12 months of follow-up. However, there was a significant decline (P = 0.00) in serum calcium and an increase in serum magnesium from baseline (P = 0.03) at 12 months. To conclude, apheresis platelet donation is a safe procedure. However, a complete hematological, biochemical, immunological profile and bone marrow density at regular intervals (3-6 months) are recommended to ensure the safety of regular repeat plateletpheresis donors.

Prevalence of blood donation at Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: World Health Organization reports that the safest blood donors come from low-risk communities and donate blood freely and for free. The student population that is healthy, active, and receptive may donate blood to meet the demand for safe blood. We aim to determine the prevalence of blood donation among the students and employees of Almaarefa University. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeting Almaarefa University staff members and students was carried out in collaboration with the National Guard Hospital, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Data was gathered via a straightforward questionnaire. The primary requirements for participation were: being medically healthy, older than 20 years old, weighing more than 55 kg, having a hemoglobin level of more than 11 mmHg, and have not donated blood in the past 60 days. Results: The majority of the volunteers were male (59%), weighing 55-65 kg (44.6%), from the age group of 20-22 (76.4%), and 66.2% of them were Saudis. Further, 46.5% were from the College of Medicine. A statistically significant association was found between gender and weight (p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: To increase the frequency of blood donation, it is necessary to develop specific programs with interactive blood donation awareness workshops that target youngsters and encourage them to become regular volunteer blood donors. Exploring and evaluating barriers to blood donation, especially for women, is essential. Efforts must be made to put the information and encouraging attitude toward contribution into practice.

Iron supplementation and blood donation in Nigeria: Effect on Hemoglobin, red cell indices, and iron stores - The ranferon™ study.

Iron-deficiency anemia is an important limiting factor to a sustainable supply of blood units, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Blood transfusion practice in Nigeria is poorly developed and structured with paucity of voluntary nonremunerated blood donors and high rate of donor deferrals resulting from low hemoglobin (Hb) levels. This study aimed to assess the effect of daily supplementation of iron using Ranferon-12 on Hb level, red blood cell (RBC) indices, iron level, ferritin level, and Hb recovery in blood donors in Nigeria. This longitudinal study was conducted at a tertiary hospital blood transfusion center from March to July 2020. Blood samples of regular donors were collected at three points in the study for the measurement of Hb and hematocrit (HCT); RBC indices including mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), and Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC); and iron stores including serum iron, serum ferritin, and serum transferrin. The first point was at recruitment before donation of one unit of blood; the second point after the blood donation; and the third point at 6 weeks post blood donation. Following donation, participants were placed on Ranferon capsules (iron fumarate - 100 mg elemental iron) and 100 mg of tablet Vitamin C, for 6 weeks. There was a moderate significant positive correlation between administration of Ranferon and change in the values of HCT, MCV, MCH, red cell distribution width, ferritin, and transferring (P < 0.05). Percentage recovery of Hb, red cell indices, and iron stores parameters after 6 weeks of daily Ranferon ranged between 89% and 100%. Iron supplementation using Ranferon capsule daily for 6 weeks enhances recovery of Hb, red cell indices, and iron stores with attainment of benchmark Hb levels for donation.

Regular donor characteristics, inter-donation interval and the presence of subclinical anemia &amp;ndash; A 3-year observational single-center study

Regular donor characteristics, inter-donation interval and the presence of subclinical anemia &amp;ndash; A 3-year observational single-center study

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward blood donation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

Both developing and developed countries are facing difficulties in finding regular donors. In areas that are exposed to frequent conflicts and wars, such as the Gaza Strip, there is a need for a continuous blood supply. This study aims to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward blood donation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022, in which 1506 participants were randomly selected from different governorates in the Gaza Strip. A structured and valid questionnaire was employed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward blood donation. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 28. The chi-square test was used to measure the significance of associations. A total of 1506 individuals living in the Gaza Strip participated. The total mean score of the overall knowledge and positive attitudes toward blood donation was 55.1% and 67.1%, respectively. Furthermore, 1236 (82.1%) of the study participants never donated blood. Of them, 260 (21.0%) demonstrated that they do not have information on when, where, and how to donate; 228 (18.4%) thought that they were not fit to donate; 187 (15.1%) demonstrated that they did not have time to donate; 143 (11.6%) feared health problems, and 132 (10.7%) feared anemia. On the contrary, 99 (36.7%) donated blood when a friend or relative needed blood, and 171 (63.3%) were voluntary donations. Statistically, a significant association was found between knowledge, attitudes, practices, and sociodemographic variables (p < 0.05 for all). The study findings indicated poor donation habits despite positive attitudes toward blood donation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. This research emphasizes the need to recognize and correct the knowledge gap that results in unfavorable behaviors against blood donation.

Exploring trends, challenges and issues of blood donation in Yaounde-Cameroon

Background: Access to a safe and adequate blood supply has proven to be challenging in sub-Saharan Africa, where systemic deficiencies have greatly been recorded. Blood availability is a public health issue of concern in Sub-Saharan Africa where both the demand and discard rates of blood are high and this includes Cameroon. Objective: This research study was carried out in order to capture the trends of blood donation, and to address the epidemiological aspects of blood donation in Yaounde. Study design and methods: The research was quantitative and relied on a cross-sectional study. With record base supplied by the National Blood Transfusion Center, as well as data from a random-sample survey of 300 blood donors at the Yaounde Central Hospitals’ blood bank. Statistical methods were applied to estimate national blood activities from January 2018 to September 2019, and the data subsequently analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: The results revealed a low frequency of blood donation, and portrayed that 81.3% of donors were first time donors. The majority of donors in our study were family/replacement (98.5%) while the minority voluntary (1.6%). More so, among the different aspects studied, five factors were found to be effectively associated to blood donation frequency namely: presence of tattoos/scarifications/piercings, the motivation underlying the blood donation, the blood group, the rhesus group and the occurrence of an accident during previous blood donations. Conclusion: Results could be useful to provide updates for the government and international organizations’ programs involved in the improvement of blood donor recruitment strategies in Cameroon. The outcome is to permit the elaboration of more effective strategies for recruiting and retaining voluntary regular blood donors and help move away from the use of replacement donors as the main source of blood, hence providing the population with safe blood and consequently reduce mortality rates linked to the availability and quality of blood.

The introduction of Laboratory testing for anti-HBcore in blood donors

Introduction. The introduction of screening testing for antibodies to the hepatitis B virus nuclear antigen (anti-HBcore) is designed to prevent the procurement of donated blood from individuals with the latent (occult) form of viral hepatitis B, in which surface HBsAg is not identified.Aim – to evaluate the frequency of anti-HBcore markers’ occurrence in donors under the current regulatory and legal framework.Materials and methods. This retrospective observational study was conducted with a follow-up period of one year among blood donors of the Blood Center (BC) of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency. The screening study for anti-HBcore in blood donors and its components was selective in accordance with the requirements of Appendix № 4 of Order № 1166n of October 28, 2020 of the Ministry of Health of Russia.Results. During the study period, the BC was visited by 17,180 donors who donated blood and its components 35,840 times. There were 181 anti-HBcore tests (0.5 % of all blood samples) in 178 unique donors of blood and blood components (1.03 % of all donors). There were 14 positive, 2 questionable and 166 negative results on anti-HBcore tests. The probability of finding a positive result depending on the conditions was 9 % (7.3–14.7 %). There were no statistically significant differences in the detection of anti-HBcore in primary versus regular donors (OR = 2.539; 95% CI: 0.7321–8; p = 0.13), as well as for male donors compared with female donors (OR = 2.448; 95% CI: 0.7141–11.11; p = 0.17). 86.7 % of donors with a positive test for anti-HBcore previously had no signs of viral hepatitis B disease, the presence of questionable HBsAg was not detected, i. e. these cases may be associated with an occult form. Donors who did not previously have questionable results for various bloodborne infections during their donor career had a slightly higher probability of detecting a positive anti-HBcore test compared to donors who previously had these questionable results (OR = 1.24; 95% CI”: 0.42–3.69; p = 0.69). During the period of the donor career, 233 donations of blood and its components were made by donors with a positive result for anti-HBcore, 468 units of donor components were received, of which 365 units were given to medical institutions.Conclusion. The probability of obtaining a positive test for anti-HBcore in the current regulatory environment is random and does not depend on the results of other infectious markers testing. It is recommended to perform anti-HBcore testing with each donation of blood and blood components.

Demographics of first-time donors returning for donation during the pandemic: COVID-19 convalescent plasma versus standard blood product donors.

Previous studies have demonstrated low first-time donor return rates (DRR) following catastrophic events. Little is known, however, about the influence of demographic factors on the DRR of first-time donors during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the unique motivation of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) donors as compared to non-CCP donors. Thirteen blood collection organizations submitted deidentified data from first-time CCP and non-CCP donors returning for regular (non-CCP) donations during the pandemic. DRR was calculated as frequencies. Demographic factors associated with returning donors: race/ethnicity, gender, and generation (Gen Z: 19-24, Millennial: 25-40, Gen X: 41-56, and Boomer: ≥57 years old), within the CCP and non-CCP first-time cohorts were compared using chi-square test at p < .05 statistical significance. From March 2020 through December 2021, there were a total of 44,274 first-time CCP and 980,201 first-time non-CCP donors. DRR were 14.6% (range 11.9%-43.3%) and 46.6% (range 10.0%-76.9%) for CCP and non-CCP cohorts, respectively. Age over 40 years (Gen X and Boomers), female gender, and White race were each associated with higher return in both donor cohorts (p < .001). For the non-CCP return donor cohort, the Millennial and Boomers were comparable. The findings demonstrate differences in returning donor trends between the two donor cohorts. The motivation of a first-time CCP donor may be different than that of a non-CCP donor. Further study to improve first-time donor engagement would be worthwhile to expand the donor base with a focus on blood donor diversity emphasizing engagement of underrepresented minorities and younger donors.

A Markov Chain Approach to the Pattern of Blood Donation Status at a Blood Service Centre in Zimbabwe

Background: Blood donors’ behaviour towards blood donation is not easily predictable and can be considered a stochastic random variable. A four-state Markov chain technique was defined and adopted in this study. The transition probabilities of blood donation within the four identified states, viz: new, regular, occasional, and lapsed donors were used to making further inferences about the dynamics in blood donation in Harare, Zimbabwe. Objectives: The paper presents a four-state Discrete Time Markov Chain (DTMC) model in analysing the changes in blood donation status over the four-year study period. Methodology: A transition probabilities matrix was developed and parameters estimated using the maximum likelihood method and two other approaches, and inferences were made based on the resultant transition matrix. Results: About 56% of new donors made at least one repeat donation and became regular donors within the first year, and the numbers gradually declined with time, whilst the lapsed donors increased from 35.6% in the second year to 55.6% in year 4. The long-run probabilities tell the same, with 80.9% of blood donations becoming lapsed in the long run. Depending on the current state of donation, new or regular donations will likely move to the regular donation state in the following time step (year). On the other end, occasional and lapsed donations have a higher probability of entering the lapsed donation state in the following time step (year). Conclusion: The paper provides useful insights into the Markovian transition probabilities among the blood donation states, and this has implications on future blood donors’ pool and blood bank inventory in Zimbabwe. The decline in the number of donors who make repeat donations is a worrisome trend since regular donations are the lifeline of any blood service centre.

Analysis of a German blood donor cohort reveals a high number of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infections and sex-specific differences in humoral immune response.

Seroprevalence studies can contribute to a better assessment of the actual incidence of infection. Since long-term data for Germany are lacking, we determined the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in residual plasma samples of 3,759 German regular blood donors between July 2020 and June 2021. Over almost the entire study period, the incidences determined based on our data were higher than those officially reported by the Robert Koch Institute, the public health institute in Germany. Using our serological testing strategy, we retrospectively detected natural infection in 206/3,759 (5.48%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.77-6.25) individuals. The IgG seroprevalence ranked from 5.15% (95% CI: 3.73-6.89) in Lower Saxony to 5.62% (95% CI: 4.57-6.84) in North Rhine Westphalia. The analyses of follow-up samples of 88 seropositive blood donors revealed a comparable fast decay of binding and neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. The antibody avidity remained at a low level throughout the whole follow-up period of up to 181 days. Interestingly, female donors seem to express a stronger and longer lasting humoral immunity against the new coronavirus when compared to males. Conclusion: Overall, our data emphasizes that seroprevalence measurements can and should be used to understand the true incidence of infection better. Further characterization of follow-up samples from seropositive donors indicated rapid antibody waning with sex-specific differences concerning the strength and persistence of humoral immune response.

Pilot Study to Gain First Indications for the Impact of a 3-Month’s Oral Intake of a Sucrosomial Iron Supplement on Hemoglobin in Iron-Deficient Blood Donors

Introduction: Regular whole blood donors often suffer from iron deficiency (ID) or iron deficiency anemia due to the loss of 200–300 mg of iron with each donation. Hemoglobin (Hb) as donor eligibility criterion reflects iron stores only poorly. ID in blood donors is typically prevented or treated with orally administered ferrous salts, which frequently cause gastrointestinal side effects. A high daily oral iron dose is counterproductive due to hepcidin upregulation. Oral sucrosomial iron (_sucriron) is encapsulated ferric pyrophosphate that may be an option for blood donors due to its supposed high bioavailability and good tolerability. Methods: This monocentric single-cohort pilot study included fifty whole blood donors (divided into premenopausal women, postmenopausal women, and men) who did not meet Hb donation criteria. Participants aged 18–65 years with ferritin <30 ng/mL and venous Hb <12.5 g/dL in women and Hb <13.5 g/dL in men received oral _sucriron (30 mg iron) for 90–120 days. Primary endpoints were the increase of Hb and ferritin. Results: Forty-seven participants completed the study. With the limitation that no control group was included, there was a substantial overall median increase of 0.94 g/dL Hb and 4.97 ng/mL ferritin (standardized on 90 days of iron intake). These value improvements were likewise observed in each of the subgroups. _sucriron was very well tolerated, with almost no gastrointestinal side effects identified. Conclusion: A clear increase of Hb and ferritin was observed after the intake of _sucriron, so it may be a reasonable and useful alternative to traditional oral iron therapy. The ease of administration, pleasant taste, dietary supplement status, and, most importantly, good tolerability highlight the value of _sucriron supplementation.

Iron Deficiency and Blood Donation: Links, Risks and Management.

The purpose of this review is to raise awareness about the frequently underappreciated association of blood donation with iron deficiency, and to describe methods for its prevention and management. Blood donors cannot expect any health benefits from the donation but have justified expectations of no harm. Iron deficiency without anemia (IDWA) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are common consequences of regular blood donation, and this activity is the most important factor affecting iron status in regular blood donors. Awareness of blood donation as a primary cause of sideropenia is surprisingly low among physicians. Blood donation screening identifies potential donors with IDA but is frequently inadequate to detect IDWA. For the assessment of body iron stores, plasma or serum ferritin, transferrin saturation (TSAT) and soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) concentrations are the most widely used biochemical markers, although the percentage of hypochromic mature erythrocytes and the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes are also useful. IDWA can be prevented by limiting the total volume of blood collected, by iron deficiency screening and deferral of sideropenic donors, by prolonging the interdonation intervals, and by iron supplementation between donations. IDWA tends to be more prevalent in younger people, females, and high-intensity donors. A potentially effective strategy to address sideropenia in blood donors is serum ferritin testing, but this may lead to a higher rate of deferral. Most regular blood donors cannot replenish their iron deficit by an iron-rich diet alone and will benefit from low-dose oral iron administration with various commercially available products post-donation, a well-tolerated strategy. However, valid concerns exist regarding the possibility of worsening the iron overload in donors with undiagnosed hemochromatosis or masking the symptoms of a clinically important gastrointestinal hemorrhage or other underlying medical condition. Finally, educational efforts should be intensified to improve the awareness of blood donation as a primary cause of iron deficiency among physicians of all specialties.

Assessment of Blood Donation Practice and Its Associated Factors Among Wollega University Undergraduate Students, Ethiopia.

Blood donation is the process of collecting blood from donors who are at low risk for infection and unlikely to jeopardize their own health. Blood donation addresses maternal and child mortality and contributes to saving millions of lives. But many African countries including Ethiopia are far below the minimum blood collection rate. Furthermore, the blood donation practice is not well studied among young university students in the study area. Hence, this study was done to assess the blood donation practice and associated factors among Wollega University students, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 387 students of Wollega University. The students were selected by systematic random sampling. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were entered into Epidata V.3.1 and exported to SPSSV.25 for analysis. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify the associated factors. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and P-value <0.05 were used to declare the statistically significant associations in the multivariable regression. The analyzed result was presented using tables, graphs, and text. Of the 360 respondents, 147 (40.8%; 95% CI: 35.7-46.1%) ever donated blood. Blood donation practice was significantly associated with college of the students (AOR = 3.247; 95% CI: 1.348-7.820), not taking part in blood donation campaigns (AOR = 0.285; 95% CI: 0.161-0.503), knowledge of blood bank location (AOR = 5.297; 95% CI: 3.081-9.110), knowledge about blood donation (AOR = 2.035; 95% CI: 1.123-3.686) and attitude toward blood donation (AOR = 2.266; 95% CI: 1.122-4.577). The magnitude of blood donation in this study was found to be less than the recommended level by the World Health Organization. Absence of the blood donation campaigns, college of study, lack of knowledge, and poor attitude toward blood donation were the factors that influence the blood donation practice. All health and related institutions including the Wollega University must work in coordination to improve the blood donation practice focusing on the regular voluntary blood donors.

Validation of new, gender-neutral questions on recent sexual behaviors among plasma donors and men who have sex with men.

Several blood services might eventually interview donors with gender-neutral questions on sexual behaviors to improve the inclusivity of blood donation. We tested two ways (i.e., "scenarios") of asking donors about their recent sexual behaviors. The study comprised 126 regular source plasma donors and 102 gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM), including 73 cis-gbMSM (i.e., the "cis-gbMSM subgroup," which excluded nonbinary, genderqueer, and trans individuals). In Scenario 1, participants were asked if, in the last 3months, they "have […] had a new sexual partner or more than one sexual partner." In Scenario 2, they were asked "Have you had a new sexual partner?" and "have you had more than one sexual partner?". Validation questions included more specific questions on the type of partners and sexual activity. Among plasma donors, sensitivity was 100.0% for both scenarios; specificity was 100.0% and 99.1% for Scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. Among gbMSM, sensitivity was 74.5% and 82.9% for Scenarios 1 and 2, respectively; specificity was 100.0% for both scenarios. Among cis-gbMSM, sensitivity was 88.6% and 100.0% for Scenarios 1 and 2, respectively; specificity was 100.0% for both scenarios. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of Scenario 2 was significantly higher than that of Scenario 1 among gbMSM and in the cis-gbMSM subgroup (all p< .05). Scenario 2 questions performed well among plasma donors and cis-gbMSM, but less so in the broader gbMSM population.

To Assess the Iron Reserves in Blood Donors by Measuring Serum Ferritin and Hemoglobin in the Children Hospital Lahore

Introduction: Frequent contribution of blood can cause iron exhaustion in blood donors along with the problems related to it. Curtailing the proportion of iron reduction among blood donors is a crucial plan for boosting donor’s well-being. Aim &amp; objectives: The aim of this analysis is to determine iron stocks by measuring serum ferritin in pre-donation male blood donors along with their relation with the hemoglobin concentration and frequency of blood donations. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Place and duration: Pathology (immunohematology) department and blood bank of University of Child Health Sciences, The Children Hospital Lahore from Aug 2021 to July 2022 Material and Methods: A total of 350 serum samples were processed to determine hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations. The study involved was performed on healthy blood donors. The method used was chemiluminescence for the simultaneous measurement of serum ferritin. Results: An aggregate of 350 serums were collected from the contributors in blood bank. Among them, 154 were the first-time donor and 196 were the frequent donors; the serum ferritin was markedly reduced in constant contributors. The mean value 105ng/mL was found in infrequent donors and 79.35ng/mL was found in frequent donors. There was no notable variance in hemoglobin of newbie and regular blood givers. However, a momentous variation in the pervasiveness of iron depletion between first‑time and regular donors is found. Conclusion: Blood donation has a noteworthy impact on iron stores and is one of the most important factors for iron shortage in contributors, specifically in those who donate blood again and again. Serum ferritin measurement ought to be incorporated in the blood donor preference especially in the evaluation of consistent blood givers to assure enough iron pools in the donor community in order to sustain a pertinent potential donor.

Characteristics and trends in the work of the Blood Service of the Russian Federation in 2016–2020

Introduction. Ensuring a sustainable supply of safe donor blood is crucial for strategic issues and challenges. The evaluation of donor characteristics as well as the volume of components harvested and issued to medical organizations in the Russian Federation is a topical task for the national blood service.Aim — to analyze the performance indicators of the national blood service for the procurement and provision of donated blood and its components to medical organizations from 2016–2020.Methods. Data on over 6.5 million donors who donated blood in Russia during 2016–2020 were analyzed. Data were obtained from Blood Service report form No. 39 “Blood products and derivatives”. Descriptive statistics were used during analysis.Results. A decrease of the number of blood donors per thousand population was shown (from 9.68 to 8.26, р &lt; 0.0001). There was a decrease of the number of first-time donors and of the number of repeat donors (by 23 and 9.3 %, respectively) within studied period. Regular donor quantum increased from 71 to 76 %. The share of volunteer blood donors from 2016 to 2020 throughout the Russian Federation remained stable and amounted to 97.7–98.0 %. The total number of donations decreased by 6.0 % due to a significant decrease in the number of donations of automatic apheresis plasma (from 507,396 in 2016 to 388,742 in 2020, p &lt; 0.001), at the same time, a significant increase in the number of donations platelets was noted (from 83,285 donations in 2016 to 126,574 in 2020, p &lt; 0.001). During the follow-up period, there was an increase from 2.0 in 2016 to 2.21 in 2020 (10 %) in the average number of donations of blood components made by donors per year. Despite the decrease in the total number of donations in the analyzed period, the volume of blood components transferred for clinical use increased. The largest increase in blood components transferred at the request of medical organizations was noted for the concentrate of donor platelets (from 702,732 units in 2016 to 1,072,830 in 2020, by 34.5 %) and erythrocyte- containing blood components (from 491,791 liters in 2016 to 555,909 liters in 2020, by 13.5 %). A general trend was noted both towards a decrease in the frequency of detection of markers of bloodborne infections (from 16.8 to 7.7 %), and in individual infections. When analyzing the frequency of detection of infection markers, a significant difference was obtained in the group of newly registered and repeated donors (50,114 and 25,814, р &lt; 0,001).Conclusion. The decrease of the number of cases of detection of infection markers and the redistribution of blood collection in accordance with the changing demands of medical organizations demonstrates a targeted strategy for improving the safety of transfusions, improving the quality of recruiting activities, and improving the principles of lean production of blood components.

Epidemiology of Treponema pallidum and HIV co-infections in the Italian blood donor population: 2009-2021.

In recent years, co-infection from HIV and Treponema pallidum has become more common. Early detection of the co-infection allows us to implement therapeutic strategies to control the evolution of the disease and to contain its transmission in the general population. The donor population is the target of choice for the detection of early-stage infections. This study aims to evaluate the trend of HIV/T. pallidum positivity in the Italian blood donor population, defining the type of donor most involved. A retrospective analysis of consecutive blood donors' records, covering the period between January 2009 and December 2021, was conducted using the database of the National Blood Information System. The data extracted were the results of of confirmed positivity notifications for T. pallidum and sociodemographic variables of blood donors. The effect of age, female gender, donor category, year, and Italian origin on the probability of HIV/T. pallidum co-infection were estimated using a logistic regression model. In the period of observation, we found 79 subjects with HIV/T. pallidum dual co-infection, 3 with HIV/HCV/T. pallidum triple co-infections, and 2 with HIV/HBV/T. pallidum triple co-infections. Seventy-one out of 84 co-infections (89%) were among first-time tested donors, reporting sexual behaviors at risk. The results of the logistic regression show that age, female gender and regular donor status were not associated with HIV/T. pallidum co-infection. The transfusion network can provide a valid contribution to containing the spread of HIV and T. pallidum infections, raising the awareness of donors, and promptly referring the donor with confirmed positivity to the reference specialist.