Real-world Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Among US Nursing Home Residents Aged ≥65 Years in the Pre-Delta and High Delta Periods.

Background: Long-term care residents were among the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. We estimated vaccine effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Medicare nursing home residents aged ≥65 years during pre-Delta and high Delta periods.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from 13 December 2020 to 20 November 2021 using Medicare claims data.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors: Unique motivations in unique times?

Background: Early in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, many blood collection organizations (BCOs) were asked to collect and distribute COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) as a potential treatment for this new virus and resulting disease. However, recruiting CCP donors presented unique challenges for BCOs, as there were few recovered patients at this time, and like the general population, most potential CCP donors had no blood donation experience. Thus, many CCP donors were new donors, and their donation motivations were unknown.

HIV residual risk in Canada for apheresis source plasma donation without deferral for men who have sex with men.

Background And Objectives: In Canada, men having sex with men (MSM) are deferred for 3 months from last sexual contact to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk to recipients. The aim of this paper was to model the Canadian residual risk of HIV-positive source plasma incorporating pathogen inactivation (PI) under no MSM deferral scenarios for apheresis plasma donations.

Materials And Methods: A combined Bayesian network (BN) and Monte Carlo approach were implemented to estimate the HIV residual risk under 3-month deferral compared with no deferral without quarantine scenarios for MSM donors.

HIV, HCV, and HBV incidence and residual risk in US blood donors before and after implementation of the 12-month deferral policy for men who have sex with men.

Background: In December 2015, the men who have sex with men (MSM) deferral was reduced to 12 months in the United States. We compared human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) incidence and residual risk before and after this policy change using data from >50% of the US blood supply.

Study Design And Methods: Three estimation intervals from the Transfusion-Transmissible Infections Monitoring System were compared: 15-months pre- and two consecutive, nonoverlapping 15-month post-MSM deferral implementation.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma donor characteristics, product disposition, and comparison with standard apheresis donors.

Background: With coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) offering an early treatment option for COVID-19, blood collectors needed to quickly overcome obstacles to recruiting and qualifying eligible donors. We provide attributes of CCP donors and products and compare to standard donors and products.

Study Design And Methods: Information on CCP donors was gathered from the American Red Cross qualification website through product collection.

Research initiatives of blood services worldwide in response to the covid-19 pandemic.

Background And Objectives: While coronavirus (COVID-19) is not transfusion-transmitted, the impact of the global pandemic on blood services worldwide is complex. Convalescent plasma may offer treatment, but efficacy and safety are not established. Measuring seroprevalence in donors would inform public health policy.

Effectiveness of the post-donation instruction sheet in conveying information to repeat blood donors.

Background And Objectives: Written materials are commonly used for blood donor education. While pre-donation materials are largely standardized across US blood collectors, the post-donation instruction sheet (PDIS) is variable and few have been evaluated to assess their effectiveness in conveying information as reflected by donors' attention, understanding and recall.

Methods: An online survey was sent to two independent randomly selected samples of repeat donors, before and after implementation of the enhanced PDIS.

Use of a rapid electronic survey methodology to estimate blood donors' potential exposure to emerging infectious diseases: Application of a statistically representative sampling methodology to assess risk in US blood centers.

Unlabelled: Risk assessments of transfusion-transmitted emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are complicated by the fact that blood donors' demographics and behaviors can be different from the general population. Therefore, when assessing potential blood donor exposure to EIDs, the use of general population characteristics, such as U.S.

HIV antiretroviral therapy and prevention use in US blood donors: a new blood safety concern.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection are effective tools to help end the HIV epidemic. However, their use could affect HIV transfusion-transmission risk. Three different ART/PrEP prevalence analyses in blood donors were conducted.

Screening Blood Donors for HIV, HCV, and HBV at the American Red Cross: 10-Year Trends in Prevalence, Incidence, and Residual Risk, 2007 to 2016.

Prevalence, incidence and residual risk of HIV, HCV and HBV are critical indicators of the safety of the blood supply. The American Red Cross routinely monitors these markers. Herein the results of testing over 58 million donations from 2007 to 2016 are reported.

Variations in hemoglobin measurement and eligibility criteria across blood donation services are associated with differing low-hemoglobin deferral rates: a BEST Collaborative study.

Background: Determination of blood donor hemoglobin (Hb) levels is a pre-requisite to ensure donor safety and blood product quality. We aimed to identify Hb measurement practices across blood donation services and to what extent differences associate with low-Hb deferral rates.

Methods: An online survey was performed among Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative members, extended with published data.

HIV residual risk in Canada under a three-month deferral for men who have sex with men.

Background And Objectives: In Canada, the deferral for men who have sex with men (MSM) was decreased from a permanent deferral to a 5-year then a 12-month deferral. Current HIV testing can detect an HIV infection in donated blood within 2 weeks of exposure; thus, a 12-month deferral may be unnecessarily restrictive. We aimed to estimate the residual risk of HIV if the deferral were further decreased to 3 months.

Changing the deferral for men who have sex with men - an improved model to estimate HIV residual risk.

Background And Objectives: Eight published studies modelled the impact of changing from a lifetime to time-limited deferral for men who have sex with men (MSM); each predicted greater risk impact than has been observed. This study uses these previous efforts to develop an 'optimized' model to inform future changes to MSM deferrals.

Materials And Methods: HIV residual risk was calculated using observed HIV incidence/prevalence prior to the change in MSM deferral, then with the additional MSM expected under a 12-month deferral for five compliance scenarios, and finally using data observed after implementation of the deferral.

Malaria blood safety policy in five non-endemic countries: a retrospective comparison through the lens of the ABO risk-based decision-making framework.

Background: In non-endemic countries, malaria risk is addressed by selectively testing or deferring at-risk donors. These policy decisions were made using a variety of decision-making frameworks prior to the development of the Alliance of Blood Operators Risk Based Decision-Making Framework. It is unclear whether the range of items assessed in the decision-making process would be increased if the Framework were used.

Safety of blood donation by individuals over age 70 and their contribution to the blood supply in five developed countries: a BEST Collaborative group study.

Background: Some countries impose an upper age limit on whole blood and double RBC donation while others do not. We evaluated the safety of blood donation in older individuals (≥71 years), and their contribution to the blood supply of five countries.

Study Design And Methods: Twelve blood center members of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative from four countries with no upper age limit for whole blood and double RBC donation (Canada, New Zealand, England, and the United States) or an upper age limit of 80 (Australia) provided 2016 data on donors and donations, deferral rates, and vasovagal reactions by donor age and sex.

Comparison of donor and general population demographics over time: a BEST Collaborative group study.

Background: We compared donor and general population demographics over time to provide insight into current donation patterns and the future adequacy of the blood supply.

Study Design And Methods: Seventeen blood center members of the Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative from 12 countries provided the number of donors and people in the general population by demographic category for 2001 and 2011, changes in age criteria, and percentage of first-time donors. We calculated the median age of donors and the general population and determined the percentage of each group in age and sex cohorts.

Quantification of body iron and iron absorption in the REDS-II Donor Iron Status Evaluation (RISE) study.

Background: Repeated blood donation alters the iron balance of blood donors. We quantified these effects by analyzing changes in body iron as well as calculating iron absorbed per day for donors enrolled in a prospective study.

Study Design And Methods: For 1308 donors who completed a final study visit, we calculated total body iron at the enrollment and final visits and the change in total body iron over the course of the study.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease lookback study: 21 years of surveillance for transfusion transmission risk.

Background: Transfusion transmission of human prion diseases has been observed for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), but not for the classic forms of prion disease (CJD: sporadic, genetic, and iatrogenic). Although the presence of prions or misfolded prion proteins in blood has been documented in some patients with the most common form of CJD, sporadic CJD, no transfusion-transmitted cases of CJD have been recognized. Since 1995, the American Red Cross has conducted a lookback study of the recipients of blood products from donors who develop CJD to assess the risk of blood-borne CJD transmission in the United States.

The Epidemiology of Imported Malaria and Transfusion Policy in 5 Nonendemic Countries.

Addressing risk of imported malaria is complicated by 5 human species of Plasmodium, semi-immunity in donors with long-term exposure, increasing travel and immigration, changing risk in endemic areas, and limitations of screening assays. To gain insight into policy formulation, we have compiled epidemiologic data from 5 countries with different policies involving either deferral (the United States and Canada) or selective testing (France, England, and Australia). The greatest risk is from semi-immune former residents of endemic areas, but the greatest impact on sufficiency (donor loss) is from low-risk short-term travel.

Donors deferred for self-reported Chagas disease history: does it reduce risk?

Background: Current Food and Drug Administration guidance specifies that all blood donors must be asked about a history of Chagas disease.

Study Design And Methods: We identified all American Red Cross donors deferred for Chagas disease history from January 2000 to August 2011. Attempts were made to contact all deferred donors and invite them back for anti-Trypanosoma cruzi testing.