Publications by authors named "Sandra V Gallego"

Article Synopsis
  • Nucleic acid-amplification testing (NAT) is a method used to check blood donations for harmful viruses to keep people safe.
  • In 2019, a global survey showed that countries mostly followed government rules for testing blood for viruses like HIV and hepatitis.
  • The results indicated a trend towards using individual samples for testing instead of larger pools to improve safety in blood donations.
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Article Synopsis
  • The project reviewed the global use of nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) in blood services to detect viral and parasite nucleic acids and reduce transfusion-related infections.
  • A survey conducted among members of the International Society of Blood Transfusion revealed a significant increase in NAT adoption over the past decade, with data showing low but notable positivity rates for various viruses in blood donations.
  • While NAT has enhanced blood transfusion safety worldwide, there is a call to address economic barriers that prevent some regions from implementing these important testing methods.
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Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) count among emerging infections, which represent a major challenge for transfusion safety worldwide. To assess the risk of arboviruses-transmission by transfusion (ATT), we performed a survey to evaluate the potential threat for transfusion safety. Samples were retrospectively and randomly collected from donors who donated during the peak of dengue incidence in Cordoba (years: 2016 and 2019-2022).

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We present the case of a breakthrough infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV), intending to warn about the challenge that HBV represents for transfusion safety. Virological markers for HBV infection were assayed during a blood donor screening by detection of HBsAg, anti-HBc, and viral nucleic acid (HBV DNA) by a nucleic acid test (NAT). Additionally, samples were analyzed for detection of immunoglobulin M anti-HBc, HBeAg, anti-HBe, and anti-HBs.

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Background: The hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute hepatitis, which can progress to chronicity in immunosuppressed patients. It is transmitted mainly by the fecal-oral or zoonotic routes, but there is current evidence that it can be transmitted by blood transfusions. The objective of the study was to investigate HEV infections in blood donors in Argentina, within the framework of a hemovigilance program.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the impact of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV-2) on health, particularly its neurological symptoms, to demonstrate similarities with HTLV-1-related conditions and to emphasize the importance of sexual transmission in spreading HTLV-2.
  • - Patient testing involved various molecular techniques and assays to identify HTLV-2 infections, including examining genetic factors such as HLA alleles that could influence disease manifestation.
  • - Findings confirmed HTLV-2 subtype b in blood donors and highlighted neurological symptoms in some patients, suggesting urgent public health measures are needed to combat this often-overlooked virus, especially in non-endemic areas like Argentina.
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Background: To analyze the infectious extent of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in different settings where prevention strategies are critical to limit infection spread, we evaluated SARS-COV-2 viability to guide public health policies regarding isolation criteria and infection control.

Methods: We attempted viral isolation in 82 nasopharyngeal swabs from 72 patients with confirmed SARS-COV-2 infection. Study population was divided into four groups: (i) Patients during the first week of symptoms; (ii) Patients with prolonged positive PCR; (iii) Healthcare workers from a hospital participating of an outbreak investigation, with SARS-COV-2 infection confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and (iv) Recipients of convalescent immune plasma (CIP).

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This is the first report of HTLV-1 infection without detectable tax gene. Even though the tax gene of HTLV-1 presents high genetic stability, in the case presented here no sequence of tax was detected by three different and widely used molecular assays targeting several sequences of the gene. Nevertheless, HTLV-1 pol and env genes and LTR region were properly detectable.

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Background: In Argentina, with the aim of moving to a safe supportive and inclusive National Blood System, in September 2015 the Ministry of Health stipulated that eligibility criteria for blood donation should only take into account the so-called 'risk practices', focusing on a 'gender-neutral' policy. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the impact of such regulation on the prevalence of STI in the population of blood donors in Argentina, through the analysis of the scientific evidence obtained from 174 074 donors from a large central region of the country, focused on a regional Blood Bank for a 6-year period (pre- and post-entry into force of the regulations).

Materials And Methods: To analyse the evolution of prevalence rates of STI, two periods of 3 years each were evaluated: The first period (P1) lasted from 16 September 2012 to 15 September 2015 (prior to the entry into force of the law) and the second one (P2) from 16 September 2015 to 15 September 2018 (after the entry into force of the law).

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Introduction: Even though Fetal and Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) has been recognized as the main cause of primary hemorrhagic morbidity and mortality in fetuses and newborns, screening programs to detect pregnancies at risk have not yet been implemented in any country. Moreover, in spite of increased concerns about maternal, fetal and neonatal health care in general, this potentially lethal disease is still underdiagnosed. The aim of this report is to highlight the importance of considering FNAIT in fetal and perinatal health-care settings and show the usefulness of molecular tools in early diagnosis of this clinical entity.

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Since anti-D immunoprophylaxis given to D-negative pregnant women is a blood product, blood donations have an impact on the availability of prophylactic doses. The Pan American Health Organization reported, in June 2017, that less than half of blood donors are volunteers in Latin America and the Caribbean. In these countries, guidelines for use of anti-D prophylaxis are still controversial.

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Introduction: Whooping cough is a re-emerging infection in the world and Latin America.

Objective: It was considered relevant to investigate the clinical and epidemiological profile of Bordetella spp. and Bordetella pertussis infection in Córdoba province, Argentina; evaluating, at the same time, the co-infection with virus producing respiratory infections that may be confused with whooping cough.

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Background: Results from 10-year experience using nucleic acid test (NAT) screening in a blood bank of Córdoba are presented, showing the first data on prevalence of recent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and occult HBV infections (OBIs) in Argentina.

Study Design And Methods: Molecular screening was performed by COBAS AmpliScreen human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 (HIV-1) test Version 1.5 and COBAS AmpliScreen hepatitis C virus (HCV) test Version 2.

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Vertical transmission is the main route of HIV infection in childhood. Because of the persistence of maternal HIV antibodies, virologic assays that directly detect HIV are required to diagnose HIV infection in infants younger than 18 months of age. The sensitivity of HIV RNA/DNA assays increases as the child becomes older.

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The introduction of nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAT) in blood banks was intended to reduce the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. Co-circulation of a great diversity of HIV-1 variants in Argentina portrays the need to assess the sensitivity of serological and molecular assays available for their detection. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity of the COBAS AmpliScreen™ HIV-1 Test, version 1.

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A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay using SYBR Green dye was established in order to detect and quantify the proviral DNA of HTLV-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Primers were designed, and the assay was standardized to amplify a novel, conserved HTLV-1 tax region. Proviral load was normalized to the amount of cellular DNA by quantitation of the human albumin gene.

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At the time of influenza A (H1N1) emergency, the WHO responded with remarkable speed by releasing guidelines and a protocol for a real-time RT-PCR assay (rRT-PCR). The aim of the present study was to evalúate the performance of the "Real Time Ready Influenza A/H1N1 Detection Set" (June 2009)-Roche kit in comparison to the CDC reference rRT-PCR protocol. The overall sensitivity of the Roche assay for detection of the Inf A gene in the presence or absence of the H1 gene was 74.

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