Impact of Hepatitis E Virus Screening in the UK Deceased Organ Donor Population.

Universal Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) screening of deceased organ donors was implemented by the UK national organ procurement organisation in October 2017. Donor testing for HEV infection is done post-transplant; detection of HEV ribonucleic acid (RNA) in donor plasma is therefore not a contra-indication for organ donation, with the result being used to inform recipient management. Immediate post-transplant detection of donor HEV viraemia triggers notification to transplant centres.

Virological safety of the UK blood supply in the era of individual risk assessments and HIV PrEP.

A more individualised donor selection policy was implemented in the UK in 2021, which replaced the previous 3-month deferral for men who have sex with men (MSM). Other blood services have a variety of policies in place to ensure the virological safety of blood components, ranging from an indefinite ban on MSM, to a defined period of exclusion, or to an individualised risk assessment that is not based on gender or sexual orientation. Justification of these policies should be based on scientific evidence including assessment of lengths of virological window periods, infectious disease epidemiology within donor populations and donation screening assay sensitivities.

Undeclared pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP) use among syphilis-positive blood donors, England, 2020 to 2021.

An individualised blood donor selection policy was implemented in the United Kingdom from summer 2021. We have investigated the impact of this policy by comparing the extent of undeclared use of HIV pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP) before and after this change. The rate of PrEP usage in syphilis-positive male blood donors has not changed since individualised donor assessment was implemented but provides continuing evidence of undisclosed PrEP use which may be associated with current or past higher-risk sexual behaviours.

Recommendations from the association for professionals in infection control and epidemiology health inequalities & disparities task force.

In June 2021, a task force commissioned by the Board of Directors of the Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology (APIC) evaluated the landscape of health inequity and health disparities as they apply to infection prevention in health care settings. This task force, consisting of infection preventionists across the country, convened to evaluate current literature, identify relevant issues and make recommendations to the APIC Board of Directors for action steps to be taken.

Evidence of HIV pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP) among blood donors: a pilot study, England June 2018 to July 2019.

Objective: Due to increased use of pre-exposure prohylaxis (PrEP) and its potential to affect HIV screening of blood donors, we undertook antiretroviral residual testing among HIV-negative male donors in England.

Methods: Residual plasma samples were obtainnd from 46 male donors confirmed positive for syphilis and 96 donors who were repeat reactive for HIV antibodies in screening but confirmed as HIV-negative by reference testing. These were tested for concentrations of tenofovir and emtricitabine by high-performance liquid chromatograhpy coupled with mass spectrometry.

Activities and Prevalence of Proteobacteria Members Colonizing Echinacea purpurea Fully Account for Macrophage Activation Exhibited by Extracts of This Botanical.

Evidence supports the theory that bacterial communities colonizing Echinacea purpurea contribute to the innate immune enhancing activity of this botanical. Previously, we reported that only about half of the variation in in vitro monocyte stimulating activity exhibited by E. purpurea extracts could be accounted for by total bacterial load within the plant material.

Sociodemographic Variables, Clinical Features, and the Role of Preassessment Cross-Sex Hormones in Older Trans People.

Introduction: As referrals to gender identity clinics have increased dramatically over the last few years, no studies focusing on older trans people seeking treatment are available.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of older trans people attending a national service and to investigate the influence of cross-sex hormones (CHT) on psychopathology.

Methods: Individuals over the age of 50 years old referred to a national gender identity clinic during a 30-month period were invited to complete a battery of questionnaires to measure psychopathology and clinical characteristics.

Thromboelastography in the Management of Coagulopathy Associated With Ebola Virus Disease.

Here, we describe the first use of thromboelastography (TEG) in the management of 2 cases of Ebola virus disease. Early in their illness, both patients had evidence of a consumptive coagulopathy. As this resolved, TEG demonstrated that both developed a marked hypercoagulable state, which was treated with low-molecular-weight heparin.

Effects of different antibiotic classes on airway bacteria in stable COPD using culture and molecular techniques: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Long-term antibiotic therapy is used to prevent exacerbations of COPD but there is uncertainty over whether this reduces airway bacteria. The optimum antibiotic choice remains unknown. We conducted an exploratory trial in stable patients with COPD comparing three antibiotic regimens against placebo.

Prevalences of Pneumocystis jiroveci, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in children with severe pneumonia, in a tertiary referral hospital in northern Tanzania.

At the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, a tertiary referral hospital in northern Tanzania, both the number of paediatric cases of lower respiratory-tract infection (LRTI) and the associated mortality increased between 2000 and 2001. Molecular diagnostic tools were used to enhance the identification of the pathogens responsible for this perceived increase. All 72 children aged between 2 and 60 months who were admitted with LRTI over a 3-month period were enrolled in the study.

Geographic information system method for assessing chemo-diversity in medicinal plants.

The spatial distribution of wild germplasm of Podophyllum peltatum L. (American mayapple) has been analyzed using the Geographic Information System (GIS) with the objective to develop a method and a database for evaluation of biotic and abiotic factors influencing drug yield, and to map elite genotypes for propagation and improvement. The field assessment followed a standard procedure including geographical coordinates of each accession, leaf biomass randomly harvested, identification of associate species, collection of herbarium specimen, soil sample and digital pictures of the site.