Trend of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) among blood donors at the blood bank of a tertiary care referral teaching hospital in Southern India

Background: Blood is a scarce, but lifesaving resource; it is also the most efficient vehicle for the transmission of Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hence there is a need for accurate screening of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among blood donors. The present study was designed to assess the seroprevalence of HBsAg, among the voluntary and replacement blood donors in the blood bank of a tertiary care referral teaching hospital in Andhra Pradesh.Methods: This is a prospective cross sectional analytical study conducted over a period of one and a half year. A total of 9909 donor blood samples were screened for HBsAg status using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The reactive samples have been tested in duplicate using different kit. The samples reactive in all three times were considered positive. The samples which were reactive only in first test were labeled as false positive.Results: Out of 9909 blood donors screened, 255 (2.6%) were initially reactive and 219 (2.2%) were reactive after triple testing.Conclusions: Our study showed similar HBsAg seroprevalence as that reported by World Health Organization (WHO) statistics in intermediate zone. But there was a mild increase in HBsAg seroprevalence among donors belonging to rural areas in our region compared to the urban donors.

Donor demographic and laboratory predictors of single donor platelet yield

Background: Platelet transfusions are essential to prevent morbidity and mortality in patients who are severely thrombocytopenic and are at risk of spontaneous bleeding. Platelets are currently obtained either by fractionation of whole blood or by platelet apheresis. The quality of single donor platelets (SDP) in terms of yield influences platelet recovery in the recipient and allows prolonging intervals between transfusions. Material and Methods: Donor demographic and laboratory data were analyzed prior to performing plateletpheresis to identify donor factors that influence platelet yield. The study was conducted on 130 healthy, first-time plateletpheresis donors over a period of 4 years. The plateletpheresis procedures were performed using Fresenius Kabi COM.TEC and Hemonetics MCS plus separator. A relationship between pre-donation donor variables and yield of platelets was studied using the Pearson correlation. Results: The mean platelet yield was 3.160.62x1011 per unit. A positive correlation was observed between platelet yield and pre-donation platelet count, body mass index (BMI; Kg/m2) of the donor, while a negative correlation was observed between age and the platelet yield. Conclusion: Donor pre-donation platelet count, BMI and donor age influence platelet yield. Young healthy donors with a high platelet count and better BMI can give a better platelet yield in the SDP

HIV seropositivity and its ethical implications for blood donors in a tertiary care hospital of Andhra Pradesh

Betaine is a potent lipotropic nutrient widely distributed in several foods, involved in protecting various cells against multiple stressful conditions especially oxidative stress. In our study, we demonstrated for the first time that betaine supplementation promoted the proliferation and attenuated H2O2-induced apoptosis and dysfunction in melanocytes through modulation of SCF/c-KIT, MITF, apoptosis, and MAPK pathways. Therefore, betaine might represent a promising therapeutic agent for vitiligo

Haemolytic disease of the newborn due to multiple maternal antibodies

Haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn (HDFN) is a condition in which the lifespan of an infant’s red blood cells (RBCs) is shortened by the action of specific maternal immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody. Rhesus (Rh)- D haemolytic disease of the newborn is a prototype of maternal isoimmunization and foetal haemolytic disease. Although rare, the other blood group antigens capable of causing alloimunization and haemolytic disease are c, C, E, Kell and Duffy. We report a case of HDFN due to anti-D and anti-C in the maternal serum as a result of anamnestic response to Rh-D and C antigens. This report highlights the importance of antibody screening in antenatal women which could assist in diagnosing and successfully treating the foetus and newborn with appropriate antigen negative cross-matched compatible blood

Para-Bombay phenotype: report of a rare blood group

The blood sample of a 54-year-old male patient who presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of anaemia was submitted to the Blood Bank for blood grouping and cross-matching. In forward grouping, no agglutination was observed with A, B and AB antisera, but agglutination was noticed with D antiserum (Group O). In reverse grouping, there was agglutination in tube labelled A and no agglutination in tubes B and O (Group B) resulting in discrepancy between forward and reverse grouping. Further testing confirmed that the individual's blood group was Para-Bombay B (Para-BH), which is a rare entity. The Para-Bombay phenotype is very rare. Only a few cases of Para-Bombay were reported in India till now and none from Andhra Pradesh. This entity is characterized by the absence of H, A and B antigens on the red cells but their presence in saliva and secretions of gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Proper identification of this phenotype is very important; otherwise this particular blood group may be mislabelled as group O