Publications by authors named "H Zaaijer"
Introduction: Serological surveillance is useful for assessing SARS-CoV-2 immunity in populations. To effectively study the presence and persistence of antibodies, it is necessary to distinguish between persons with past infection, and persons who only received vaccination. Knowledge of the duration of antibody persistence is essential for correct interpretation of surveillance results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Less discriminatory donor selection policies for men who have sex with men (MSM) may impact transfusion safety in terms of higher residual risks for known transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), increased vulnerability toward new TTIs that are also transmitted via sex, and HIV infections masked by pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Study Design And Methods: TTI trends in Dutch donors were studied over a 13-year period (2011-2023), characterized by successive relaxations of MSM deferral criteria. Structured posttest counseling was performed to determine risk factors in TTI-positive donors.
Article Synopsis
- Some countries are changing their rules about blood donation because they believe the risk of a disease called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) has decreased since it was a big concern in the past, especially in the UK.
- Experts held a meeting to talk about how to learn more about the disease and how to keep people safe during blood transfusions.
- They agreed that the risk of getting vCJD from blood donors who traveled or received blood in the UK is very low now, and it's important for experts in Europe to work together to create safer guidelines for blood donation.
Parvovirus B19V (B19V) infection during pregnancy can be complicated by potentially life-threatening fetal hydrops, which can be managed by intrauterine transfusion (IUT). This study investigates the long-term temporal patterns in the epidemiology of B19V and evaluates the impact on fetal hydrops, by combining data on B19V infections from the Dutch Sentinel Surveillance system in the period 1990 to 2023, Dutch blood banking data and hospital data on fetal hydrops. Using wavelet analysis, we identified annual epidemic cycles in the Netherlands in the period 1990-2019 and we identified superimposed multiannual cycles in the period 1990-2009.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Teclistamab, a bispecific antibody targeting BCMA, shows strong effectiveness in patients with multiple myeloma but leads to a high incidence of infections due to its impact on the immune system.
- The treatment results in rapid depletion of B cells and significantly lowers levels of various immunoglobulins, impairing patients' ability to respond to vaccines.
- Utilizing intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can reduce the risk of serious infections in patients on teclistamab, highlighting the importance of immunoglobulin support in managing these patients' immune health.