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Blood-borne Infections (blood-borne + infections)
Selected AbstractsCurrent challenges of pharmacovigilance in bleeding disorders: converting the burden to benefitHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 2 2010R. LASSILA Summary., Safety surveillance studies have proven essential in research and development of new biological therapies for bleeding disorders as well as other diseases. Although product safety regarding HIV, hepatitis, and other blood-borne infections is currently excellent, potential new infectious agents require continued vigilant monitoring. Inhibitor development is the most common serious side effect of haemophilia replacement therapy. Several aetiological factors associated with inhibitors have been identified, but their true impact is still largely unknown. Moreover, whether plasma-derived and recombinant factor products differ in their immunogenic profiles is an unresolved issue. Coagulation factor products under development and those currently on the market require uniform, long-term surveillance. The European Haemophilia Safety Surveillance (EUHASS) project was recently established to meet these goals. The pharmaceutical industry and clinicians face common challenges complying with these requirements. In rare diseases like haemophilia, obtaining adequate patient numbers poses a challenge. Another challenge is a lack of methods for assessing disease severity, a surprising deficiency in the era of modern medical and laboratory technology. National and international registries can be used to gather required safety surveillance information. Simultaneously, clinicians benefit from well-organized registry data in their daily practice and harmonize the quality of comprehensive haemophilia care by homogeneous follow-up platforms. Experience with such registries comes, for example, from Europe (PEDNET), the USA (CDC/UDC), the UK (UKHCDO), and Sweden (Malmö). It is important to commit to future pharmacovigilance efforts, aiming at high-quality safety surveillance programmes at both the pharmaceutical research community and clinical levels. [source] Safety and efficacy of a sucrose-formulated recombinant factor VIII product for the treatment of previously treated patients with haemophilia A in ChinaHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 4 2007J. SHI Summary., The use of plasma-derived products has contributed to a high rate of blood-borne infections among haemophilia patients in China. Recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) products that are manufactured without human or bovine albumin and include dedicated viral inactivation steps, hold a significant safety advantage over plasma products. However, there is little information published on the use of rFVIII products in non-caucasian populations. This is the first reported evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a rFVIII product in Chinese haemophiliacs. An open-label, non-randomized, prospective, multicentre trial enroled previously treated Chinese patients with haemophilia A. All treatments were administered using a sucrose-formulated rFVIII-FS (Kogenate®). Forty-nine patients received totals of 291 infusions (mean, 5.94/patient) and 742 140 IU rFVIII-FS (mean, 2550.3 IU/infusion). Of the 60 acute bleeding episodes that were treated, 90% were successfully managed with only one (81.7%) infusion or two (8.3%) infusions. Physicians reported haemostasis control for acute bleeds to be ,Excellent' or ,Improved' with rFVIII-FS therapy. No FVIII inhibitors were detected in any patient. Only one treatment-related adverse event was reported, which was mild dizziness that resolved spontaneously. rFVIII-FS was efficacious, safe and well tolerated in the treatment of previously treated patients with haemophilia A in China. [source] Influence of epidemiological factors on blood transfusionISBT SCIENCE SERIES: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTRACELLULAR TRANSPORT, Issue 1 2007S. Laperche The prevalence, incidence and risk factors of infectious diseases observed in the general population have been described to directly influence transfusion medicine, especially the blood selection. The objective is to ensure the blood safety. The characterization of modes of transmission influences the donor selection: the risk factors of the main blood-borne infections have permitted to adapt the pre-donation questionnaire in order to exclude at-risk donors. The prevalence of infections also has an impact on the blood screening strategy. For example, anti-HBc antibody (Ab) screening is currently performed only in countries where the HBV prevalence is compatible with a reasonable number of donor exclusions. HTLV Ab screening is implemented in countries in which the rate of donors originating from endemic areas could represent a risk for blood components. Measurement of incidence which contributes to the residual risk has led to the introduction of nucleic acid testing (NAT) for HIV, HCV and in some cases for HBV in viral screening strategy in many countries worldwide. The observed NAT yield differs according to the incidence of the infection and according to the country. Finally, the putative blood transmission of new and emerging pathogens has led to implement specific and non-specific measures in order to enhance blood safety. Conversely, although the blood donor population is selected, the data observed in this population have also contributed to better understand epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection. Moreover, owing to the recent progress in developing modelling approaches for estimating risk, we are able to anticipate a transfusion transmission threat by introducing, when necessary, specific measures intended for reduce this risk. [source] Vector transmission of Bartonella species with emphasis on the potential for tick transmissionMEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2008S. A. BILLETER AbstractBartonella species are gram-negative bacteria that infect erythrocytes, endothelial cells and macrophages, often leading to persistent blood-borne infections. Because of the ability of various Bartonella species to reside within erythrocytes of a diverse number of animal hosts, there is substantial opportunity for the potential uptake of these blood-borne bacteria by a variety of arthropod vectors that feed on animals and people. Five Bartonella species are transmitted by lice, fleas or sandflies. However, Bartonella DNA has been detected or Bartonella spp. have been cultured from numerous other arthropods. This review discusses Bartonella transmission by sandflies, lice and fleas, the potential for transmission by other vectors, and data supporting transmission by ticks. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or culture methods have been used to detect Bartonella in ticks, either questing or host-attached, throughout the world. Case studies and serological or molecular surveys involving humans, cats and canines provide indirect evidence supporting transmission of Bartonella species by ticks. Of potential clinical relevance, many studies have proposed co-transmission of Bartonella with other known tick-borne pathogens. Currently, critically important experimental transmission studies have not been performed for Bartonella transmission by many potential arthropod vectors, including ticks. [source] | ||||||||||