Study of red blood cell alloimmunization risk factors in multiply transfused thalassemia patients: role in improving thalassemia transfusion practice in Fayoum, Egypt.

Background: β-Thalassemia is considered the most common chronic hemolytic anemia in Egypt. Alloimmunization can lead to serious clinical complications in transfusion-dependent patients. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and types of alloantibodies, and, in addition, to study the risk factors that might influence alloimmunization in multiply transfused thalassemia patients in Fayoum, Egypt, with the goal that this study could help minimize some of the transfusion-associated risks in those patients.

Priority needs and wisdom strategy for blood transfusion safety in developing low-resource countries.

Objective: To evaluate the implementation of alternative safety measures that reduce the risk of transfusion transmissible infections as an affordable measure in low resource countries.

Background: It is still difficult in developing countries with limited resources to mandate nucleic acid testing due to its high cost. Although NAT reduces the window period of infection, the developing countries are still in need of an efficient and effective transfusion programme before implementing the complex high cost NAT.

Combining serology and molecular typing of weak D role in improving D typing strategy in Egypt.

Background: Rh discrepancies are a problem during routine testing because of partial and weak D phenotypes. Some blood units with weak and partial D expression may escape detection by serology. Limitations of serology can be overcome by molecular typing.