Optimizing recovery of frozen human peripheral blood mononuclear cells for flow cytometry.

Introduction: Live peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be frozen and thawed for later analyses by adding and removing a cryoprotectant, such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Laboratories across the world use various procedures, but published evidence of optimal thawing procedures is scarce.

Materials And Methods: PBMCs were separated from blood collected from healthy Danish blood donors, and stored at -80°C after adding of DMSO.

Iron deficiency among blood donors: experience from the Danish Blood Donor Study and from the Copenhagen ferritin monitoring scheme.

Blood components collected from blood donors are an invaluable part of modern-day medicine. A healthy blood donor population is therefore of paramount importance. The results from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS) indicate that gender, number of previous donations, time since last donation and menopausal status are the strongest predictors of iron deficiency.

The healthy donor effect impacts self-reported physical and mental health - results from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS).

Aims: This study aimed at quantifying the healthy donor effect by comparing self-perceived mental and physical health between blood donors and non-donors.

Background: In theory, the selection process known as the healthy donor effect should result in better self-perceived, health-related quality of life in donors than in non-donors.

Methods: The Short Form-12 data from the Danish Twin Registry (DTR) was compared with the data from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS).

Reduced ferritin levels in individuals with non-O blood group: results from the Danish Blood Donor Study.

Background: Genomewide association studies have reported alleles in the ABO locus to be associated with ferritin levels. These studies warrant the investigation of a possible association between the ABO blood group and ferritin levels. We aimed to explore if ABO blood group is associated with iron stores expressed as ferritin levels.

Faecal microbiota transplantation: establishment of a clinical application framework.

Background: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is currently being established as a second-line treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. FMT is further being considered for other infectious and inflammatory conditions. Safe and reproducible methods for donor screening, laboratory processing and clinical application of FMT are warranted.

Prevalence of restless legs syndrome and associated factors in an otherwise healthy population: results from the Danish Blood Donor Study.

Objective: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological sensorimotor disorder characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the legs. RLS often occurs as a comorbid condition. Besides an increased risk of iron deficiency, blood donors are considered to be generally healthy.

Prevalence and correlation of cytokine-specific autoantibodies with epidemiological factors and C-reactive protein in 8,972 healthy individuals: Results from the Danish Blood Donor Study.

Natural cytokine-specific autoantibodies (c-aAb) have been measured in healthy and diseased individuals, and have been considered as both endogenous immune-regulators and pathogenic factors. Overall, the etiology and potential pathology of c-aAb are still undefined. To further characterize the sero-prevalence, predictors and consequences of high c-aAb levels, we performed the largest population-based study of c-aAb to date, using participants and epidemiological data from the Danish Blood Donor Study.

Association of Donor Age and Sex With Survival of Patients Receiving Transfusions.

Importance: Following animal model data indicating the possible rejuvenating effects of blood from young donors, there have been at least 2 observational studies conducted with humans that have investigated whether donor age affects patient outcomes. Results, however, have been conflicting.

Objective: To study the association of donor age and sex with survival of patients receiving transfusions.

Socio-demographic characteristics of Danish blood donors.

Background: Blood transfusion is an essential component of a modern healthcare system. Because knowledge about blood donor demography may inform the design of strategies for donor recruitment and retention, we used nationwide registers to characterize the entire population of blood donors in Denmark in 2010.

Methods: The study population comprised all Danes in the age range eligible for blood donation (N = 3,236,753) at the end of 2010.

Deferral for low hemoglobin is not associated with increased risk of infection in Danish blood donors.

Background: Low hemoglobin (Hb) is associated with poor general health and adverse outcomes in a wide range of diseases. However, a link between Hb levels and the risk of infection among healthy individuals has yet to be investigated.

Study Design And Methods: Using data from the Scandinavian Donations and Transfusions database, 497,390 donors were followed after 5,458,499 donations in health registers.

Low-Grade Inflammation Is Associated with Susceptibility to Infection in Healthy Men: Results from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS).

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine whether low-grade inflammation (LGI) is associated with a subsequently increased risk of infection.

Methods: We included 15,754 healthy participants from the Danish Blood Donor Study, who completed a questionnaire on health-related items. LGI was defined as a C-reactive protein level between 3 and 10 mg/L.

Discovery of a novel HLA-B*15 allele, HLA-B*15:379, in a patient from Guinea-Bissau.

HLA-B*15:379 differs from HLA-B*15:03:01:01 by a c.T539G substitution in exon 3.

Digital questionnaire platform in the Danish Blood Donor Study.

Objectives: The Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS) is a prospective, population-based study and biobank. Since 2010, 100,000 Danish blood donors have been included in the study. Prior to July 2015 all participating donors had to complete a paper-based questionnaire.

ABO blood group and risk of cancer: A register-based cohort study of 1.6 million blood donors.

Introduction: The associations between ABO blood group and cancer risk have been studied repeatedly, but results have been variable. Consistent associations have only been reported for pancreatic and gastric cancers.

Materials And Methods: We estimated associations between different ABO blood groups and site-specific cancer risk in a large cohort of healthy blood donors from Sweden and Denmark.

Afri-Can Forum 2 : Johannesburg, South Africa. 16-18 February 2015.

A1 Introduction to the 2nd synchronicity forum of GHRI/CHVI-funded Canadian and African HIV prevention and vaccine teams O1 Voluntary medical male circumcision for prevention of heterosexual transmission of HIV in adult males in Soweto: What do indicators and incidence rate show? Hillary Mukudu, Neil Martinson, Benn Sartorius O2 Developing a peer-led community mobilization program for sex workers in Soweto: HIV risk and demographics Jenny Coetzee, Janan Dietrich, Kgaugelo Mokgatswana, Rachel Jewkes, Glenda E. Gray O3 Salient beliefs about adherence: A qualitative survey conducted as part of the demonstration study on "treatment as prevention" (TasP) and "pre-exposure prophylaxis" (PrEP) among female sex workers (FSWS) in Cotonou, Benin Marylène Dugas, Luc Béhanzin, Fernand A. Guédou, Marie-Pierre Gagnon, Michel Alary O4 Relative perception of risk as a driver of unsafe sexual practices among key populations: Cases of fisherfolk and women and their partners involved in multiple sexual partnerships in Uganda Rwamahe Rutakumwa, Martin Mbonye, Thadeus Kiwanuka, Sarah Nakamanya, Richard Muhumuza, Winfred Nalukenge, Janet Seeley O5 Exploring the acceptability of new biomedical HIV prevention technologies among MSM, adolescents and heterosexual adults in South Africa Millicent Atujuna, Melissa Wallace, Ben Brown, Linda Gail Bekker, Peter A.

Low transfusion transmission of hepatitis E among 25,637 single-donation, nucleic acid-tested blood donors.

Background: Hepatitis E virus genotype-3 (HEV-gt-3) causes autochthonous infections in western countries, with a primary reservoir in animals, especially pigs. HEV transfusion transmission has been reported, and HEV-gt-3 prevalence is high in some European countries. The prevalence of HEV RNA was investigated among Danish blood donors, and the prevalence of HEV transfusion-transmitted infection (TTI) was investigated among recipients.

Transmission of Neurodegenerative Disorders Through Blood Transfusion: A Cohort Study.

Background: The aggregation of misfolded proteins in the brain occurs in several neurodegenerative disorders. Aberrant protein aggregation is inducible in rodents and primates by intracerebral inoculation. Possible transfusion transmission of neurodegenerative diseases has important public health implications.

Body mass index, risk of allogeneic red blood cell transfusion, and mortality in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.

Unlabelled: Despite improvements in preoperative and postoperative treatment, hip fracture surgery may lead to blood transfusion. Little is known about the impact of body mass index on transfusion risk and subsequent mortality. Opposite overweight and obese patients, underweight patients had increased risk of transfusion and death within 1 year of surgery.

Impact of polymorphisms in the HCP5 and HLA-C, and ZNRD1 genes on HIV viral load.

Aims: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) complex P5 (HCP5), HLA-C, and near the zinc ribbon domain containing 1 (ZNRD1) have been shown to influence viral load (VL) set point in HIV-infected individuals with a known seroconversion onset. We aimed to determine the influence of HCP5 rs2395029, HLA-C rs9264942, and ZNRD1 rs3869068 on VL in antiretroviral-naïve individuals and on time to the first VL<51 copies/ml and on CD4(+) T-cell recovery after initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).

Material And Methods: We genotyped the rs2395029 (A>C), rs9264942 (T>C), and rs3869068 (C>T) SNPs in 1897 Caucasians from The Danish HIV Cohort Study - a prospective, nationwide, population-based study of HIV-infected individuals in Denmark.

Diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose in ART-naïve patients with HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual infection in Guinea-Bissau: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is expected to increase in sub-Saharan Africa. Patients with HIV are at particular risk. We investigated the DM burden among antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve patients with HIV in Guinea-Bissau.

Low-grade inflammation is associated with lower haemoglobin levels in healthy individuals: results from the Danish blood donor study.

Background And Objectives: Chronic inflammation can lead to anaemia of chronic disease due to the sequestration of iron caused by inflammatory cytokines and the protein hepcidin. However, the effect of low-grade inflammation (LGI) on haemoglobin among healthy individuals is not known. This study examines the effect of LGI on haemoglobin among Danish blood donors.

ABO Blood Group and Risk of Thromboembolic and Arterial Disease: A Study of 1.5 Million Blood Donors.

Background: ABO blood groups have been shown to be associated with increased risks of venous thromboembolic and arterial disease. However, the reported magnitude of this association is inconsistent and is based on evidence from small-scale studies.

Methods And Results: We used the SCANDAT2 (Scandinavian Donations and Transfusions) database of blood donors linked with other nationwide health data registers to investigate the association between ABO blood groups and the incidence of first and recurrent venous thromboembolic and arterial events.

Epidemiology of Massive Transfusion: A Binational Study From Sweden and Denmark.

Objective: There is an increasing focus on massive transfusion, but there is a paucity of comprehensive descriptions of the massively transfused patients and their outcomes. The objective of this study is to describe the incidence rate of massive transfusion, patient characteristics, and the mortality of massively transfused patients.

Design: Descriptive cohort study.

Brief Report: Macrophage Activation in HIV-2-Infected Patients Is Less Affected by Antiretroviral Treatment-sCD163 in HIV-1, HIV-2, and HIV-1/2 Dually Infected Patients.

The course of disease among HIV-2, HIV-1, and HIV-1/2 dually infected patients is different. We investigated the macrophage activation marker soluble CD163 (sCD163) dynamics in 212 HIV-1, HIV-2, and HIV-1/2 dually infected patients. There were no differences in sCD163 levels at baseline or during follow-up without antiretroviral therapy (ART).