Non-Invasive Zinc Protoporphyrin Screening Offers Opportunities for Secondary Prevention of Iron Deficiency in Blood Donors.

Background: Frequent blood donors are at high risk of developing iron deficiency. Currently, there is no potent screening during blood donation to detect iron deficient erythropoiesis (IDE) before anemia develops and deferral from donation is inevitable.

Study Design And Methods: In addition to capillary and venous hemoglobin, the iron status of 99 frequent blood donors was assessed by various venous blood parameters and zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP).

Monitoring Blood Supply in Germany: A Regulatory Perspective.

Background And Objectives: A sufficient supply of safe, high-quality blood components for transfusion is essential to the healthcare system in Germany. The requirements for the current reporting system are laid down in the German Transfusion Act. The present work elaborates on the advantages and limitations of the current reporting system and investigates the feasibility of a pilot project that collects specific data on blood supply based on weekly reports.

Adding a piece to the puzzle of Latin American blood donors and the potential risk of transmission in Germany.

Introduction: Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the () infection and has become a global health concern due to population mobility, as well as non-vectorial transmission routes. Several countries outside Latin America (LA) have reported transfusion-associated transmission, but equivalent studies in Germany are lacking. This study aims to collect first data on the risk of transfusion associated transmission as well as LA blood donors originating from CD endemic countries in Germany.

Deferral due to low hemoglobin and predictors of permanence in the blood donation system of repeat female blood donors.

Objectives: To evaluate the deferral rate due to low hemoglobin (Hb) in repeat female blood donors and identify the factors affecting their permanence in the blood donation system.

Materials And Methods: 8,368 repeat female blood donors who donated from January 2012 to December 2018 were included. Bivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to identify the covariates possibly associated with developing low Hb, and Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to adjust for all confounders.

Head-to-head evaluation of seven different seroassays including direct viral neutralisation in a representative cohort for SARS-CoV-2.

A number of seroassays are available for SARS-CoV-2 testing; yet, head-to-head evaluations of different testing principles are limited, especially using raw values rather than categorical data. In addition, identifying correlates of protection is of utmost importance, and comparisons of available testing systems with functional assays, such as direct viral neutralisation, are needed.We analysed 6658 samples consisting of true-positives (=193), true-negatives (=1091), and specimens of unknown status (=5374).

Screening of platelet concentrates for bacterial contamination: spectrum of bacteria detected, proportion of transfused units, and clinical follow-up.

Screening of platelet concentrates (PCs) for bacterial contamination with cultivation methods is carried out as a routine procedure in some countries. The aim is to prevent the transfusion of contaminated PCs. The German Evaluation of Regular Monitoring Study Group conducted a prospective multicenter study on 52,243 PCs to investigate the prevalence of bacteria (BacT/ALERT, bioMerieux).

Supply with Platelet Concentrates from the Point of View of a Blood Donation Service of the Bavarian Red Cross.

SUMMARY: BACKGROUND: It is known that pooled platelet concentrates derived from buffy coat (PCs) have several disadvantages compared to platelet concentrates produced by platelet apheresis (APCs). Therefore, all blood products issued by the Bavarian Red Cross blood banks (BSD/BRK) (18,000 products/year) were produced by single donor apheresis. The main reason not to produce PCs was the elevated viral and bacterial infection risk during the last decade.

Bacterial contamination of platelet concentrates: results of a prospective multicenter study comparing pooled whole blood-derived platelets and apheresis platelets.

Background: The GERMS Group initiated a prospective multicenter study to assess prevalence and nature of bacterial contamination of pooled buffy-coat platelet concentrates (PPCs) and apheresis platelet concentrates (APCs) by routine screening with a bacterial culture system.

Study Design And Methods: In nine centers overall, 52,243 platelet (PLT) concentrates (15,198 APCs, 37,045 PPCs) were analyzed by aerobic and anaerobic cultures (BacT/ALERT, bioMérieux).

Results: In 135 PLT concentrates (PCs; 0.