Browsing by keyword "blood donation"
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"Because Every Drop Counts": Blood donation during the COVID-19 PandemicThe Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has trampled the health care system of many countries. Blood transfusion services (BTS) in any hospital, hold the prime location and ensure smooth functioning of all elective and urgent surgical interventions of various traumas, emergency, obstetric cases, and the cancer patients throughout 24 × 7. In the wake of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, just like many other sectors of the health care system, BTS and blood banks are also struggling to cope up with the unforeseen challenges.
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Blood Donation, Sexual Practices, and Self-Perceived Risk for HIV in the United States Among Young Adult Men Who Have Sex With MenOBJECTIVES: In the United States, all men who have sex with men (MSM) were banned from donating blood from 1985 through 2015. In 2016, the guideline was amended such that men who had sexual contact with other men within the previous 12 months could not donate blood. We aimed to identify blood donation practices and their relationship with HIV risk and testing among young adult MSM (YMSM) at risk for having HIV. METHODS: In 2014, we recruited HIV-negative non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white YMSM aged 18-24 from across the United States through social media platforms to complete an online survey. Among these YMSM who previously donated blood, we conducted a secondary analysis examining the relationship between having donated blood within the past 12 months and sexual risk behavior from recent condomless anal intercourse (CAI), HIV testing, and self-perceived risk of having an undiagnosed HIV infection. RESULTS: Of the 2261 YMSM surveyed, 1104 (48.8%) had ever previously donated blood and 305 (13.5%) had donated blood within the past 12 months. Of the 305 blood donors, 50 (16.4%) had ever had CAI before their most recent blood donation. Among YMSM who donated blood, past-12-month blood donation was more likely among YMSM who never had CAI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-2.73) than among YMSM who had CAI and more likely among YMSM who believed it was not possible at all that they had an undiagnosed HIV infection (aOR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.14-2.16) than among YMSM who believed there was any possibility of having an undiagnosed HIV infection; it was not related to past-12-month HIV testing. CONCLUSIONS: YMSM donated blood frequently, suggesting that the deferral process in place did not prevent YMSM from donating blood. The current donor screening process should be reconsidered if it is to prevent YMSM from donating blood. Future research could identify screening questions that permit YMSM with a low risk of HIV infection to donate blood while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.
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Facing COVID-19 in the Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Setting: A New Challenge for Transplantation PhysiciansCoronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic has put enormous pressure on the health care system worldwide. As of 8th April 2020, more than 220 countries are already affected with a total of 1,462,698 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 84,792 deaths across the globe [1]. Absence of a specific antiviral agent and vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has strangled the treating health care providers. The special population that is at high risk of acquiring SARS-CoV 2 infection are immunocompromised, and HIV infected persons, pregnant woman, and cancer patients [2]. We hereby discuss the challenges being faced by cancer patients, specifically the transplant recipients and their respective donors during COVID-19 pandemic. Transplantation societies are working closely to provide optimal support and recommendations to the transplant specialists to guide them to conduct hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in the safest manner.