Factors related to the development of high antibody titres against SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent plasma donors from the ConPlas-19 trial.

Background And Objectives: The efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CP) associates with high titres of antibodies. ConPlas-19 clinical trial showed that CP reduces the risk of progression to severe COVID-19 at 28 days. Here, we aim to study ConPlas-19 donors and characteristics that associate with high anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels.

Reinforcement of the Standard Therapy with Two Infusions of Convalescent Plasma for Patients with COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: The aim was to evaluate the reinforcement of the standard therapy with hyperimmune plasma (HP) in Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) patients.

Methods: Open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial performed in three hospitals in the Balearic Islands. Non-severe COVID-19 hospitalized patients with clinical time evolution equal to/less than 7 days were included, and randomized in: plasma group (PG) ( = 37), receiving 600 mL divided into two doses from convalescent plasma donor, administered on days 1 and 2 after the enrollment; and control group (CG) ( = 17).

Frozen and cold-stored platelets: reconsidered platelet products.

Platelet transfusion, both prophylactic and therapeutic, is a key element in modern medicine. Currently, the standard platelet product for clinical use is platelet concentrates at room temperature (20-24°C) under gentle agitation. As this temperature favors bacterial growth, storage is limited to 5-7 days, which result in high wastage rate, and complicates inventory and product availability at remote areas.

Cryopreservation of platelets treated with riboflavin and UV light and stored at -80°C for 1 year.

Background: The combination of pathogen reduction technologies (PRTs) and cryopreservation can contribute to building a safe and durable platelet (PLT) inventory. Information about cryopreserved riboflavin and UV light-treated PLTs is scarce.

Study Design And Methods: Twenty-four buffy coat (BC) PLT concentrates were grouped into 12 type-matched pairs, pooled, and divided into 12 non-PRT-treated control units and 12 riboflavin and UV light PRT-treated test units.

Haemostatic function measured by thromboelastography and metabolic activity of platelets treated with riboflavin and UV light.

Background: Pathogen reduction technology (PRT) may damage platelet (PLT) components. To study this, metabolic activity and haemostatic function of buffy coat (BC) PLT concentrates, with or without riboflavin and UV light PRT treatment, were compared.

Material And Methods: Twenty-four BC PLT concentrates, leukoreduced and diluted in additive solution, were grouped into 12 type-matched pairs, which were pooled and divided into 12 non-PRT-treated BC PLT concentrates (control units) and 12 riboflavin and UV PRT-treated BC PLT concentrates (test units).

Pathogen reduction of blood components during outbreaks of infectious diseases in the European Union: an expert opinion from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control consultation meeting.

Pathogen reduction (PR) of selected blood components is a technology that has been adopted in practice in various ways. Although they offer great advantages in improving the safety of the blood supply, these technologies have limitations which hinder their broader use, e.g.

Use and safety of riboflavin and UV light-treated platelet transfusions in children over a five-year period: focusing on neonates.

Background: There are very few published reports about the use and safety of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) based on riboflavin and UV light for platelet (PLT) transfusion in children.

Study Design And Methods: A two-part study was conducted: 1) a study investigating the safety of PLTs treated with riboflavin and UV light-PRT transfused to 379 children and 1,980 adults over a 5-year period; 2) an observational study evaluating the efficacy of PLT use in 132 neonates transfused with PRT-treated PLT compared with 99 neonates receiving standard PLTs over two 5-year periods.

Results: The rate of adverse reactions related to transfusions with PRT-treated PLTs was found to be slightly higher in adults than in children, although not statistically significant (0.

Our experience in riboflavin and ultraviolet light pathogen reduction technology for platelets: from platelet production to patient care.

Background: Pathogen reduction technology (PRT) enhances blood component safety, but its implementation is hampered by loss of blood quality and cost.

Study Design And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the efficacy, safety, and cost of 9673 riboflavin and ultraviolet light-treated platelet (PLT) transfusions given to 1211 patients during a 3-year period. The results were compared with the efficacy, safety, and cost of 6424 nontreated PLT transfusions administered to 1500 patients during a 3-year comparison period before PRT implementation.

MALDI-TOF analysis of blood serum proteome can predict the presence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a plasma cell dyscrasia that can progress to malignant multiple myeloma (MM). Specific molecular biomarkers to classify the MGUS status and discriminate the initial asymptomatic phase of MM have not been identified. We examined the serum peptidome profile of MGUS patients and healthy volunteers using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and developed a predictive model for classifying serum samples.

Strategies for reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted leishmaniasis in an area endemic for Leishmania infantum: a patient- and donor-targeted approach.

Background: In the Balearic Islands, as in other areas of the Mediterranean basin, there is a significant proportion of asymptomatic Leishmania (L.) infantum-infected blood donors, who may represent an important threat to transfusion safety. The Balearic Islands blood bank, located in an area endemic for L.

The effectiveness of riboflavin and ultraviolet light pathogen reduction technology in eliminating Trypanosoma cruzi from leukoreduced whole blood.

Background: The parasitic Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by insect vectors. Other infection routes, both in endemic and in nonendemic areas, include organ and marrow transplantation, congenital transmission, and blood transfusion. Asymptomatic chronic chagasic individuals may have a low and transient parasitemia in peripheral blood and, consequently, they can unknowingly transmit the disease via blood transfusion.

Collection, storage, inspection and quality control of platelet concentrates obtained by apheresis: The situation in Spain.

Background: Diverse variables are involved in apheresis platelet collection, processing and storage. This survey shows how these are realized in Spain.

Method: An analysis of collected data was performed in a questionnaire completed by ten Transfusion Centers (TC) which perform between 50 and 520 apheresis procedures per month.

Where do Trypanosoma cruzi go? The distribution of parasites in blood components from fractionated infected whole blood.

Background: Platelets (PLTs) are the blood component most frequently involved in Trypanosoma cruzi transfusion transmission cases reported in the literature, although whole blood (WB) and red blood cells (RBCs) have also been incriminated. However, there is little knowledge of the parasite distribution among blood components.

Study Design And Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate in which blood component T.

Detection and Quantification of Viable and Nonviable Trypanosoma cruzi Parasites by a Propidium Monoazide Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay.

Molecular techniques based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) allow the detection and quantification of DNA but are unable to distinguish between signals from dead or live cells. Because of the lack of simple techniques to differentiate between viable and nonviable cells, the aim of this study was to optimize and evaluate a straightforward test based on propidium monoazide (PMA) dye action combined with a qPCR assay (PMA-qPCR) for the selective quantification of viable/nonviable epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi PMA has the ability to penetrate the plasma membrane of dead cells and covalently cross-link to the DNA during exposure to bright visible light, thereby inhibiting PCR amplification. Different concentrations of PMA (50-200 μM) and epimastigotes of the Maracay strain of T.

Characterization of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance by calorimetric analysis of blood serum proteome.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant proliferative disorder that may progress to multiple myeloma, a malignant plasma cell neoplasia. We evaluated differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as an experimental tool for differentiating serum samples of MGUS patients from healthy individuals. DSC thermograms can be used for monitoring changes in the serum proteome associated with MGUS.

Evidence of meaningful levels of Trypanosoma cruzi in platelet concentrates from seropositive blood donors.

Background: According to the reported cases of transfusion-acquired Trypanosoma cruzi infection, the risk of T. cruzi transfusion transmission appears to be higher with platelet (PLT) products than with other blood components. The aim of this study was to investigate by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) the parasitic load detected in leukoreduced plasma and PLT concentrates collected by apheresis from seropositive T.

Practical issues that should be considered when planning the implementation of pathogen reduction technology for plateletpheresis.

Pathogen reduction technology (PRT) is associated with increased blood safety through the inactivation of virus, bacteria and parasites. Dilution of platelet (PLT) concentrates in platelet additive solution (PAS) is a requirement for applying PRT, and that it is associated with various practical issues: increasing PLT target yields to compensate for loss of PLTs through PRT, extended apheresis donation time due to PAS addition at the end of the procedure, and the appearance of PLT aggregates. We proposed to program higher target PLT yields for plateletpheresis donations to compensate for PLTs lost due to PRT processing.