Transfusion Transmissible Infections among Voluntary Blood Donors in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Kerala - A Cross Sectional Study

BACKGROUND Blood transfusion is a common life-saving medical procedure, but it may cause acute and delayed complications. A transfusion transmissible infection (TTI) is any infection that is transmissible from person-to-person through parenteral administration of blood or blood products i.e. packed red blood cells (RBC), platelets, plasma and other blood products. This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in blood bank connected to a tertiary care hospital in Kerala and evaluate the safety of the blood donations. METHODS Samples of 13,262 donors from January to June 2018 were taken. All the donors who were accepted for donation as per criteria by national acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) control society were included in the study. Consent was obtained from blood donors to conduct testing for transfusion transmitted diseases. Donors were screened by 4th generation enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) test kits for HIV-1/2, 3rd generation ELISA test kits for HBsAg and hepatitis C virus (HCV), rapid immunochromatographic test for malaria and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test for syphilis. Tests were performed as per manufacturer instructions. All the reactive samples were discarded as per the guidelines. RESULTS Among 13,262 donors, 13,014 (98.12 %) were males and 248 (1.8%) were females within the age group of 18 - 60 years. Out of these, 7 (0.052%) donors were HBsAg positive and 3 (0.02%) were HIV positive. RPR reactivity was seen in 2 donors (0.01%) only. None of the blood donors tested showed positivity for HCV or malarial parasite. In this study, prevalence of hepatitis B was highest (0.052) followed by HIV (0.02%) and syphilis (0.02%). CONCLUSIONS Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most common transfusion transmissible infection among apparently healthy donors, followed by HIV and syphilis. TTI’s can be eliminated or reduced by implementing an integrated strategy for blood safety, like effective selection of blood donors, avoiding unnecessary transfusions, and early detection of TTIs. KEYWORDS Transfusion-Transmitted Infections, HIV, HBV, HCV

PrEP your team! Clinician initiation of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis discussion at sexually transmissible infection testing and diagnosis in gay and bisexual men

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended for gay and bisexual men (GBM) with recent diagnosis of rectal chlamydia (CT), rectal gonorrhoea (NG) or infectious syphilis. A retrospective medical record audit was undertaken at Canberra Sexual Health Centre (CSHC) of all GBM who met this criterion in 2019 and were thus determined to be at higher risk of acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Pre-exposure prophylaxis was discussed and/or commenced in 85% of GBM at higher risk of HIV. Audit results and education were provided to the team with a post-interventional audit in 2020 showing significant improvement. This audit is easily replicated and may be applicable to other settings engaged in GBM care.

Individuals With SARS-CoV-2 Infection During the First and Second Waves in Catalonia, Spain: Retrospective Observational Study Using Daily Updated Data (Preprint)

BACKGROUND A description of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection comparing the first and second waves could help adapt health services to manage this highly transmissible infection. OBJECTIVE We aimed to describe the epidemiology of individuals with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the characteristics of patients with a positive test comparing the first and second waves in Catalonia, Spain. METHODS This study had 2 stages. First, we analyzed daily updated data on SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals from Girona (Catalonia). Second, we compared 2 retrospective cohorts of patients with a positive reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen test for SARS-CoV-2. The severity of patients with a positive test was defined by their admission to hospital, admission to intermediate respiratory care, admission to the intensive care unit, or death. The first wave was from March 1, 2020, to June 24, 2020, and the second wave was from June 25, 2020, to December 8, 2020. RESULTS The numbers of tests and cases were lower in the first wave than in the second wave (26,096 tests and 3140 cases in the first wave versus 140,332 tests and 11,800 cases in the second wave), but the percentage of positive results was higher in the first wave than in the second wave (12.0% versus 8.4%). Among individuals with a positive diagnostic test, 818 needed hospitalization in the first wave and 680 in the second; however, the percentage of hospitalized individuals was higher in the first wave than in the second wave (26.1% versus 5.8%). The group that was not admitted to hospital included older people and those with a higher percentage of comorbidities in the first wave, whereas the characteristics of the groups admitted to hospital were more alike. CONCLUSIONS Screening systems for SARS-CoV-2 infection were scarce during the first wave, but were more adequate during the second wave, reflecting the usefulness of surveillance systems to detect a high number of asymptomatic infected individuals and their contacts, to help control this pandemic. The characteristics of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first and second waves differed substantially; individuals in the first wave were older and had a worse health condition.

Reduction in blood donations: the importance of campaing donation in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil

To analyze the trends of blood donations in a public blood center of Goias, Brazil (HEMOGO – Hemocentro do Estado de Goiás), considering incentive campaigns and transfusion transmissible infection. Retrospective study of the blood donations between 2010-2016. Donors were grouped into autologous, voluntary, replacement and campaign categories. There were 149,983 donations with a reduction of 29% (p

Sero-pravelence of SARS CoV-2 IgM and IgG Antibodies Amongst Blood Donors in Nigeria

Background: Currently in Nigeria, SARS CoV-2 infection control measures rely solely on RT-PCR testing of cases with high index of suspicion for COVID-19. The sero-prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in the populations remains unknown. We aimed to determine the sero-prevalence of SARS CoV-2 IgM and IgG in screened blood donors in two selected cities in Nigeria. Methods: A total of 113 blood samples from screened and accepted blood donors were tested for both SARS CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies using NOVATECH ELISA kits from Eurofins Germany. Results: The age range of donor was 21-48 years. Males were 96 %. Of the 113 blood donors 42% were positive for SARS CoV-2 IgG while 41% were positive for SARS CoV-2 IgM respectively. Only 11% and 19% of blood donors had equivocal test result for IgG and IgM respectively.Conclusions: Nearly a half of accepted blood donors in Nigeria had been exposed to SARS CoV-2 infection. Although it is not a blood transmissible infection, the blood banks must take adequate preventive measures to prevent spread amongst the bank staff and potential donors. It also implies a wider spread of the infection in Nigeria.Trial Registration: The study does not require registration.

Acute Pulmonary Embolism in the COVID-19 Era: The Experience of a Ghanaian Patient

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in profound changes in healthcare delivery, some based on official reforms and others driven by healthcare professionals’ fear of exposure to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Many patients require screening tests of one form or the other before being attended to in hospitals. The protean clinical manifestations of this highly transmissible infection require that a high index of suspicion be maintained. Pulmonary embolism is a potentially fatal emergency whose presentation is mimicked by COVID-19. Delays in ruling out COVID-19 may result in undue delays in initiating treatment for pulmonary embolism, potentially resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. This article presents a patient whose treatment for acute pulmonary embolism was forestalled by delays in getting the polymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19 done. It reiterates the need for physicians to test promptly in order to allow early focus on differential diagnoses which were routinely being investigated promptly prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence of Transfusion Transmissible Infection among Healthy Blood Donors at Dongola Specialized Hospital, Sudan, 2010–2015

Background: Blood transfusion saves lives but carries the risk of transmission of infections. Screening donors for transfusion transmissible infection (TTI) is mandatory. Objectives: To study the prevalence of TTI among blood donors at Dongola Specialized hospital, Northern State, Sudan. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study performed on blood donors at the blood bank of Dongola Specialized Hospital during the period 2010–2015. Demographic data and results of screening tests for all donors in the study period were included. Data were analyzed using SPSS and results were presented in percentages. Results: The total number of donors were 6,489, of which 6,433 (99.1%) were included in the study. All donors were males and family donors. Mean age (SD) was 27.9 (6.516) years. hepatitis B virus was detected in 85 (1.3%), syphilis in 68 (1.1%), hepatitis virus in 45 (0.7%), and human immunodeficiency virus in 3 (0.05%) donors. Coinfections of hepatitis B with syphilis and hepatitis B with hepatitis C were found in 0.05% and 0.03% of the donors, respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of TTI is low compared to national and international figures. These findings may reflect low prevalence rates of the studied infections in the community. Key words: blood donors, Northern State, Sudan, transfusion transmissible infection