Microchimerism: sharing genes in illness and in health.

Microchimerism is defined as the presence of two genetically distinct cell populations in the same individual. It can arise from several causes including the bidirectional transfer of cells between mother and fetus during pregnancy, twin-to-twin transfer in utero, from organ transplantation, and blood transfusion. Recently, scientists have found male fetal cells from decades earlier imbedded in tissues and organs of some women with autoimmune diseases.

Adverse events after anthrax vaccination reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 1990-2007.

During the period March 1, 1998 to January 14, 2007, approximately 6 million doses of Anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) vaccine were administered. As of January 16, 2007, 4753 reports of adverse events following receipt of AVA vaccination had been submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Taken together, reports to VAERS did not definitively link any serious unexpected risk to this vaccine, and review of death and serious reports did not show a distinctive pattern indicative of a causal relationship to AVA vaccination.

Transfusion-transmitted Klebsiella pneumoniae fatalities, 1995 to 2004.

Transfusion-transmitted bacterial sepsis is the third most common cause of transfusion-related fatalities reported to the Food and Drug Administration. Between October 1, 1995, and September 30, 2004, there were 665 reported transfusion fatalities. Eighty-five (13%) deaths were due to transfusion-transmitted bacterial infections, of which 58 (68%) were due to gram-negative organisms.

Fatalities caused by TRALI.

This article includes a retrospective review of fatalities caused by transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) over a 5-year period (from 1997 to 2002) that were reported to the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research involving 58 recipient deaths and the corresponding 63 blood component donors. Descriptive statistics are presented. Recipient characteristics include age, sex, and admitting diagnosis.