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Transfusion 2020 May 1. Epub 2020 May 1.

Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the major concerns for the safety of blood transfusion in high-prevalent countries such as in China. Prior studies outside of China have shown hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) false-reactive rate of 0.02% to 0. Read More

Vox Sang 2020 Apr 20. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Background And Objective: Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a member of the coronavirus family. Coronavirus infections in humans are typically associated with respiratory illnesses; however, viral RNA has been isolated in serum from infected patients. Coronaviruses have been identified as a potential low-risk threat to blood safety. Read More

Transfusion 2020 May 13;60(5):955-964. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Background: Malaria remains a leading transfusion associated infectious risk in endemic areas. However, the prevalence of malaria parasitemia has not been well characterized in blood donor populations. This study sought to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium in red blood cell (RBC) and whole blood (WB) units after the rainy season in Uganda. Read More

Blood Adv 2020 Apr;4(7):1448-1457

Sankalp India Foundation, Bangalore, India.

In spite of advances in chelation therapy and screening of blood, mortality associated with the most common life-threatening noncommunicable disease of children in India, transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), remains poorly defined. This study aims at estimating death rates and mortality risk factors associated with TDT. The clinical records of 1087 patients from 5 thalassemia centers in India were retrospectively analyzed from 2011 to 2018. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2020 19;7:31. Epub 2020 Mar 19.

Research Center of the CHU de Québec, Quebec, QC, Canada.

Despite improvements in donor screening and increasing efforts to avoid contamination and the spread of pathogens in clinical platelet concentrates (PCs), the risks of transfusion-transmitted infections remain important. Relying on an ultraviolet photo activation system, pathogen reduction technologies (PRTs), such as Intercept and Mirasol, utilize amotosalen, and riboflavin (vitamin B2), respectively, to mediate inactivation of pathogen nucleic acids. Although they are expected to increase the safety and prolong the shelf life of clinical PCs, these PRTs might affect the quality and function of platelets, as recently reported. Read More

Malar J 2020 Mar 30;19(1):136. Epub 2020 Mar 30.

National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, 214064, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.

Background: Since the National Malaria Elimination Action Plan was launched in China in 2010, local malaria transmission has decreased rapidly. Zero indigenous cases were reported since 2017. However, after 2010, the proportion of imported cases in China increased from 45. Read More

Transfusion 2020 Mar 24. Epub 2020 Mar 24.

Product Review Branch, Division of Emerging & Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food & Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.

Tick-borne agents of disease continue to emerge and subsequently expand their geographic distribution. The threat to blood safety by tick-borne agents is ever increasing and requires constant surveillance concomitant with implementation of appropriate intervention methods. In April 2017, the Food and Drug Administration organized a public workshop on emerging tick-borne pathogens (excluding Babesia microti and Lyme disease) designed to provide updates on the current understanding of emerging tick-borne diseases, thereby allowing for extended discussions to determine if decisions regarding mitigation strategies need to be made proactively. Read More

Blood Transfus 2020 Feb 28:1-8. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne.

Background: Nowadays, most blood products are leukocyte-reduced. After this procedure, the residual risk for transfusion transmitted cytomegalovirus (TT-CMV) is mostly attributed to cell-free viruses in the plasma of blood donors following primary infection or viral reactivation. Here, objectives are: 1) to study the behaviour of cell-free CMV through the blood component processing; 2) to determine the anti-CMV seroprevalence, the level of viremia, the window-period in blood donor population; and 3) to identify cases of TT-CMV in bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. Read More

Transfusion 2020 Apr 18;60(4):694-697. Epub 2020 Mar 18.

Department of Medicine, Solna, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Background: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is an uncommon, invariably fatal, neurodegenerative disorder that presents as progressive dementia with concurrent motor symptoms and myoclonia. The pathophysiology involves prion protein misfolding and spreading in a self-catalyzed manner. It has been shown to be transmissible through tissue transplants. Read More

Parasite Epidemiol Control 2020 May 18;9:e00141. Epub 2020 Feb 18.

Department of Microbiology, Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Several strategies are being implemented in blood transfusion centers of the world to prevent the transfusion-transmitted parasitic infections (TTPIs). The objective of this study was to determine and describe the strategies to minimize the transmission risk of parasitic agents via blood transfusion in Iran.

Methods: This study was conducted in the Iranian blood transfusion organization (IBTO). Read More

Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2020 May;15(3):185-192

Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Purpose Of Review: The aim of this article is to highlight the unique challenges for hepatitis B virus (HBV) cure faced in resource-limited settings (RLS) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where access to disease prevention measures, medical testing, and treatment are limited.

Recent Findings: SSA RLS face challenges, which need to be anticipated as HBV cure research advances. There is a paucity of data because of lack of HBV surveillance and limited access to laboratories. Read More

Transfusion 2020 May 4;60(5):1024-1031. Epub 2020 Mar 4.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Background: In 2014, passive immunization by transfusion of Ebola convalescent plasma (ECP) was considered for treating patients with acute Ebola virus disease (EVD). Early Ebola virus (EBOV) seroconversion confers a survival advantage in natural infection, hence transfusion of ECP plasma with high levels of neutralizing EBOV antibodies is a potential passive immune therapy. Techniques to reduce the risk of other transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) are warranted as recent ECP survivors are ineligible as routine blood donors. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 02 28;14(2):e0008050. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

Laboratory of Immunology, Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) affects the lives of 0.7-1 million people every year causing lesions that take months to heal. These lesions can result in disfiguring scars with psychological, social and economic consequences. Read More

Transfusion 2020 Mar 22;60(3):561-574. Epub 2020 Feb 22.

Division of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Hessen, Germany.

Background: To date, several cases of transfusion-transmitted ZIKV infections have been confirmed. Multiple studies detected prolonged occurrence of ZIKV viral RNA in whole blood as compared to plasma samples indicating potential ZIKV interaction with hematopoietic cells. Also, infection of cells from the granulocyte/macrophage lineage has been demonstrated. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 Apr;102(4):880-883

Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases (DETTD), Office of Blood Research and Review (OBRR), Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, Maryland.

Zika virus (ZIKV) caused a public health threat in the United States in 2016, leading to rapid development and implementation of blood screening assays for ZIKV RNA. Several ZIKV sequences from clinical cases have been reported, but none from asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic infections. We isolated and sequenced ZIKV from asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic blood donor (ABD-ZIKV) samples and compared with reported clinical sequences. Read More

Open Forum Infect Dis 2020 Jan 24;7(1):ofz540. Epub 2020 Jan 24.

Division of Infection and Global Health Research, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz283.]. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020 01 21;14(1):e0007481. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Background: Crystal violet (CV) was used for several years in blood banks to eliminate the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi in endemic areas in order to prevent transfusion-transmitted Chagas disease. One mechanism of action described for CV involves inhibition of proline uptake. In T. Read More

J Infect Public Health 2020 Feb 15;13(2):299-305. Epub 2020 Jan 15.

Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address:

Background: Screening of blood products is considered a mandatory protocol implemented in health care facilities in order to reduce the onset of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). This study was aimed to determine the sero-prevalence of ABO and Rh blood groups and their associated TTIs among blood donors in the Central Region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This was retrospective study performed on the blood donors' records from March 2017 to December 2018 at Buraidah Central Hospital Blood Bank. Read More

Transfus Med 2020 Jan 8. Epub 2020 Jan 8.

Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka.

Objectives: To report the clinical and virologic epidemiology of a recent epidemic of hepatitis C in thalassaemia patients in Sri Lanka.

Background: Transfusion-dependent thalassaemia patients remain at risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Here, we report a cluster of recent HCV infections in Sri Lankan thalassaemia patients and examine the phylogenetic relationship of viral sequences. Read More

Malays J Med Sci 2019 Nov 30;26(6):127-136. Epub 2019 Dec 30.

Regenerative Medicine Cluster, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

Background: Unsafe blood products may cause transfusion-transmissible infections. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of blood donors regarding blood safety.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Kelantan state of Malaysia. Read More

Cureus 2019 Nov 12;11(11):e6129. Epub 2019 Nov 12.

Pediatrics, Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar, PAK.

Objectives To determine the prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in chronically transfused β-thalassemia major (TM) patients, and to assess their quality of life (QoL). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in three different thalassemia centers located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from January to July 2019. These centers provide screened blood and essential medical care for thalassemia patients. Read More

Clin Ther 2020 Feb 24;42(2):322-337.e2. Epub 2019 Dec 24.

Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

Purpose: β-Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by reduced or no production of adult hemoglobin. Systematic identification of the burden of β-thalassemia with contemporary treatments is lacking in published literature. Thus, a gap exists in understanding the baseline burden on which to assess future treatments. Read More

Semin Hematol 2019 10 13;56(4):229-235. Epub 2019 Nov 13.

Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Electronic address:

Safety of the blood supply has been a critical aspect of the transfusion medicine field since its inception, including infections that can be passed to a blood product recipient. Reactive efforts to identify potentially infected blood products are used throughout the blood donation process and afterward. Before donation, potential donors are provided educational materials about infection risks, examined and then screened through a series of questions that help temporarily, permanently, or indefinitely defer donors who could harbor acute and/or chronic infections. Read More

J Med Virol 2019 Dec 12. Epub 2019 Dec 12.

Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China.

Although Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is mainly transmitted through mosquito bite, it can also be transmitted through blood transfusion. More than 500 000 cases of ZIKV infection were reported in the Americas from 2015 to 2016. Up till now, over 10 cases of imported ZIKV infection have been reported due to frequent international exchanges in the Shenzhen city of Guangdong Province, China. Read More

Transfusion 2020 Feb 5;60(2):343-350. Epub 2019 Dec 5.

Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California.

Background: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) often require red blood cell (RBC) transfusion for clinical complications, so may be exposed to transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). The prevalence of markers for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and B (HBV), human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1/2), Chagas disease, and syphilis in an SCD cohort in Brazil were studied.

Study Design And Methods: Clinical history, interview data, blood samples, and medical chart review data were collected during cohort enrollment from November 2013 to May 2015. Read More

Vox Sang 2020 Feb 27;115(2):133-139. Epub 2019 Nov 27.

Donor and Product Safety (DAPS) Policy Unit, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Perth, WA, Australia.

Background And Objectives: In Canada, the deferral for men who have sex with men (MSM) was decreased from a permanent deferral to a 5-year then a 12-month deferral. Current HIV testing can detect an HIV infection in donated blood within 2 weeks of exposure; thus, a 12-month deferral may be unnecessarily restrictive. We aimed to estimate the residual risk of HIV if the deferral were further decreased to 3 months. Read More

Int J Infect Dis 2020 Feb 20;91:188-195. Epub 2019 Nov 20.

Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Objectives: The prevalence of active, chronic, and former hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections was investigated in a cohort of immunocompromised patients. The association with transfusion transmitted HEV was evaluated, and the HEV seroprevalence was compared with that in healthy blood donors.

Study Design And Methods: Serum samples from 4023 immunocompromised patients at Rigshospitalet, Denmark were retrospectively tested for HEV RNA and anti-HEV IgG. Read More

Viruses 2019 11 14;11(11). Epub 2019 Nov 14.

Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens (LEP), Division of Emerging Transfusion Transmitted diseases (DETTD), Office of Blood Research and Review (OBRR), Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA.

Viral isolation is desirable for many reasons, including development of diagnostic assays and reference materials, and for virology basic research. Zika virus (ZIKV) isolation from clinical samples is challenging, but isolates are known to infect various cell lines. Here, we evaluated suitability of Vero, C6/36 and JEG-3 as host cells, for direct isolation of ZIKV from human plasma. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 11 18;13(11):e0007865. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

Doctoral Leadership Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis and is caused by several species of Leishmania parasite. Clinical presentation of CL varies from a self-healing infection to a chronic form of the disease determined by the virulence of infecting Leishmania species and host immune responses to the parasite. Mouse models of CL show contradictory roles of lymphocytes in pathogenesis, while acquired immune responses are responsible for host protection from diseases. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2019 Dec 31;58(6):102674. Epub 2019 Oct 31.

International Consultancy in Blood Components Quality/Safety Improvement, Audit/Inspection and DDR Strategies, London, UK.

Growth factor-rich pooled human platelet lysate (HPL), made from human platelet concentrates, is one new blood-derived bioproduct that is attracting justified interest as a xeno-free supplement of growth media for human cell propagation for cell therapy. HPL can also find potentially relevant applications in the field of regenerative medicine. Therefore, the therapeutic applications of HPL go far beyond the standard clinical applications of the traditional blood products typically used in patients suffering from life-threatening congenital or acquired deficiencies in cellular components or proteins due to severe genetic diseases or trauma. Read More

Transfusion 2020 Feb 21;60(2):424-429. Epub 2019 Oct 21.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Background: Despite West Nile virus (WNV) blood donation screening using nucleic acid testing (NAT), donors with low viral loads not detected by mini-pool-NAT have led to transfusion transmitted (TT)-WNV infection. We describe a probable case of fatal TT-WNV infection from an individual donor (ID)-NAT non-reactive apheresis platelet donation.

Study Design And Methods: An apheresis platelet donation was WNV ID-NAT reactive and prior donations from the same donor were investigated. Read More

Front Immunol 2019 24;10:2273. Epub 2019 Sep 24.

Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States.

No vaccine exists against visceral leishmaniasis. Toward developing vaccines against VL, we have reported previously on the immunogenicity of live attenuated parasites in animal models. Immunization with parasites has been shown to induce durable protective immunity in pre-clinical animal models. Read More

FASEB J 2019 12 4;33(12):13669-13682. Epub 2019 Oct 4.

State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.

The tick- and transfusion-transmitted human pathogen infects host erythrocytes to cause the pathologic symptoms associated with human babesiosis, an emerging disease with worldwide distribution and potentially fatal clinical outcome. Drugs currently recommended for the treatment of babesiosis are associated with a high failure rate and significant adverse events, highlighting the urgent need for more-effective and safer babesiosis therapies. Unlike other apicomplexan parasites, lacks a canonical lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) but instead expresses a unique enzyme, LDH (BmLDH), acquired through evolution by horizontal transfer from a mammalian host. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2019 Sep 29. Epub 2019 Sep 29.

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Background: Transfusion-related sepsis remains an important hospital infection control challenge. Investigating septic transfusion events is often restricted by the limitations of bacterial culture in terms of time requirements and low yield in the setting of prior antibiotic administration.

Methods: In three Gram-negative septic transfusion cases, we performed mNGS of direct clinical blood specimens in addition to standard culture-based approaches utilized for infection control investigations. Read More

PLoS One 2019 19;14(9):e0219709. Epub 2019 Sep 19.

Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Medical Microbiology and Blood Centre, Pendik, Istanbul.

Objective: Blood transfusion is the most frequently used and life-saving therapeutic procedure today. Transmission of virus, bacteria and parasitic microorganisms may occur due to transfusion (Transfusion transmitted infections-TTIs). Hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis (Treponema pallidum) bear the risk of transmission by transfusion. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 09 19;13(9):e0007616. Epub 2019 Sep 19.

Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation, New Delhi, India.

J Formos Med Assoc 2020 Mar 30;119(3):752-756. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Centers for Disease Control, Department of Health, 161 Kun-Yang Street, Nan-Kang, Taipei, 115, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Continuous strengthening of the safety of blood products to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted HCV in recipients is an important issue of Taiwanese government concern. Since 2013, highly sensitivity serology and NAT assays were simultaneously used for blood donation screening to shorten the window period of HIV, HBV and HCV infections. 15 cases of suspected transfusion-transmitted HCV infection were analyzed in 2015-2018. Read More

Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2019 10 5;33(5):873-885. Epub 2019 Jul 5.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.

Bleeding related to thrombocytopenia is common in hematology-oncology patients. Platelets stored at room temperature (RTPs) are the current standard of care. Platelets stored in the cold (CSPs) have enhanced hemostatic function relative to RTPs. Read More

Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2019 10 3;33(5):739-748. Epub 2019 Jul 3.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, EUH D-655, 1364 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

Despite measures to mitigate risk of transfusion-transmitted infections, emerging agents contribute to morbidity and mortality. We outline the epidemiology, risk mitigation strategies, and impact on patients for Zika virus, bacteria, Babesia, and cytomegalovirus. Nucleic acid testing of blood has reduced risk of Zika infection and reduced transfusion-transmitted risk of Babesia. Read More

Mol Cell Biochem 2019 Dec 20;462(1-2):41-50. Epub 2019 Aug 20.

Lab of Molecular Virology, Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has remarkably decreased HIV-related mortality. However, drug-resistant HIV variants pose a potential threat to the long-term success of ART. Both HIV mutants and host factors can cause HIV drug resistance. Read More

Vox Sang 2019 Oct 1;114(7):666-674. Epub 2019 Aug 1.

Donor and Product Safety (DAPS) Policy Unit, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Perth, WA, Australia.

Background And Objectives: Eight published studies modelled the impact of changing from a lifetime to time-limited deferral for men who have sex with men (MSM); each predicted greater risk impact than has been observed. This study uses these previous efforts to develop an 'optimized' model to inform future changes to MSM deferrals.

Materials And Methods: HIV residual risk was calculated using observed HIV incidence/prevalence prior to the change in MSM deferral, then with the additional MSM expected under a 12-month deferral for five compliance scenarios, and finally using data observed after implementation of the deferral. Read More

Open Forum Infect Dis 2019 Jul 11;6(7):ofz283. Epub 2019 Jun 11.

Division of Infection and Global Health Research, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK.

Background: Malaria transmission through blood transfusion is an accidental but preventable cause of malaria infection and is increasingly becoming a matter of concern for blood transfusion services. This systematic review was conducted to provide a summary of evidence about the prevalence of infection in asymptomatic blood donors and the effectiveness of screening methods used based on the available literature.

Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed. Read More

Transfus Med Rev 2019 07 20;33(3):146-153. Epub 2019 Jun 20.

Etablissement Français du Sang, La Plaine St Denis, France; UMR 1098 Inserm, Etablissement Français du Sang, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France. Electronic address:

There is growing concern regarding the risk of transfusion- transmitted (TT) hepatitis E. Since the first described case in 2006, several TT hepatitis E have been reported to the French hemovigilance network. We performed a retrospective analysis of all cases of TT hepatitis E reported between 2006 and 2016. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2019 Aug 10;58(4):464-467. Epub 2019 Jul 10.

Department of Transfusion Medicine, Cardio-neuro Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Electronic address:

Background: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test is used for screening of transfusion transmitted infections (TTI) in blood donors. Consecutive reactive results in ELISA is due to sample/reagent carryover or donor related. In this study we tried to find out the possibilities of family history/close contacts with patients of hepatitis among these consecutive reactive donors. Read More

Blood Rev 2019 09 6;37:100588. Epub 2019 Jul 6.

Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy. Electronic address:

Patients with β-thalassemia major (BTM) require regular blood transfusions, supported by appropriate iron chelation therapy (ICT), throughout their life. β-thalassemia is a global disease that is most highly prevalent in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Mediterranean countries. However, the global distribution of patients with β-thalassemia is changing due to population migration, and Northern European countries now have significant thalassemia populations. Read More

Transfusion 2019 10 19;59(10):3065-3070. Epub 2019 Jul 19.

Department of Pediatrics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.

Background: Leukoreduced blood components have been widely implemented to prevent transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus (TT-CMV) in transplantation. Recent progress in leukoreduction technology has helped reduce the risk of TT-CMV in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; however, its efficacy in umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) has not been systematically studied.

Study Design And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the incidence of CMV infection in patients treated with CBT who received prestorage leukoreduced, CMV-unselected blood components between 2007 and 2017 in a single Japanese pediatric center. Read More

Pathogens 2019 Jul 17;8(3). Epub 2019 Jul 17.

Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520 USA.

Persistent infection is a characteristic feature of babesiosis, a worldwide, emerging tick-borne disease caused by members of the genus Persistence of infection in reservoir hosts increases the probability of survival and transmission of these pathogens. Laboratory tools to detect in red blood cells include microscopic detection using peripheral blood smears, nucleic acid detection (polymerase chain reaction and transcription mediated amplification), antigen detection, and antibody detection. , the major cause of human babesiosis, can asymptomatically infect immunocompetent individuals for up to two years. Read More

Infect Immun 2019 10 19;87(10). Epub 2019 Sep 19.

Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

The development of effective malaria vaccines is hampered by incomplete understanding of the immunological correlates of protective immunity. Recently, the moderate clinical efficacy of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP)-based RTS,S/AS01 vaccine in phase 3 studies highlighted the urgency to design and test more efficacious next-generation malaria vaccines. In this study, we report that immunization with recombinant CSP from (rCSP), when delivered in Montanide ISA 51, induced sterilizing immunity against sporozoite challenge in C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains of mice. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2019 Aug 9;58(4):439-441. Epub 2019 Jul 9.

and Blood Bank Roger Williams Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. Electronic address:

Babesiosis is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the protozoa Babesia but transplacental, and transfusion transmission may occur. While most infections are asymptomatic, rarely, it can present with a severe, life-threatening illness. Treatment is primarily with antibiotics, but red cell exchange (RCE) has been used in more severe cases which are characterized by high-grade parasitemia, evidence of severe hemolysis and or multi-organ failure. Read More

Transfus Med Rev 2020 Jan 20;34(1):23-28. Epub 2019 Jun 20.

Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. Electronic address:

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is responsible for large periodic epidemics in both endemic and nonendemic areas where competent mosquitoes are present. Transmission of CHIKV by transfusion during explosive outbreaks has never been documented, and the true impact of CHIKV infection on blood transfusion during an outbreak is unknown. Considerations include not only transfusions in the active outbreak areas but also returning travelers to nonendemic areas. Read More