ABSTRACT
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected blood supplies globally. Mobile blood drive campaigns halted, and voluntary blood donations reduced, challenging available blood supplies. Furthermore, fears of virus transmission led to deferrals of elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical procedures with noticeable declines in blood donations and transfusions. Aims: We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of blood donations and transfusions across the country by blood product type across various hospital departments. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood services in 34 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, comparing January to July 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to January to July 2020 (peri-COVID-19). Data were collected from the country's web-based software District Health Information System, Version 2 (DHIS2). Results: A 17.1% decline in numbers of blood donations was observed over the study period, especially in April 2020 (44.3%), a 21.7% decline in numbers of blood transfusions, especially in April 2020 (44.3%). The largest declines in transfusion were noted in surgery department for fresh frozen plasma (80.1%) [p = 0.012] and accident and emergency department transfusion of platelets (78.3%) [p = 0.005]. The least decline of statistical significance was observed in internal medicine transfusions of whole blood (19.6%) [p = 0.011]. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the numbers of blood donations and transfusions in Nigeria. Strengthening blood services to provide various blood components and secure safe blood supplies during public health emergencies is therefore critical.
Subject(s)
Blood Donors , Blood Transfusion , Blood Specimen Collection , Long Term Adverse Effects , COVID-19ABSTRACT
A rumour that emerged during a microbicide gel trial tells the tale of clinic staff purchasing trial participants' blood. This paper documents the rumour and explores its divergent interpretations and meanings in relation to the context of the trial and the social and economic setting at two of the trial sites (Soweto and Orange Farm) in South Africa. The article is based on qualitative research conducted during the Microbicides Development Programme (MDP) 301 trial to evaluate a microbicide vaginal gel for HIV prevention in women. The research incorporated in-depth interviews with female trial participants and their male partners; focus group discussions with male and female community members; and participant observation in the trial clinic and community setting at the two sites. The article analyses the different perspectives among the clinic staff; community and trial participants in terms of which the rumour about the exchange of blood for cash is seen as: 1) the result of ignorance of the clinical trial procedures; 2) the exploitation of poor and vulnerable women; 3) an example of young women's desire for material gain; and 4) a reciprocal exchange of 'clean blood' for cash between women trial participants and the health services. We suggest that the rumours about selling blood verbalise notions of gender and morality while also providing an appraisal of the behaviour of young women and a critique of social relationships between foreign researchers and local participants. Through stories about the clinical trial procedures and its potential reimbursements; the participants were creating and reconfiguring social relationships. Ultimately; rumours are one way in which foreign enterprises such as a clinical trial are rendered local
Subject(s)
Anthropology , Anti-Infective Agents , Blood Specimen Collection , Clinical TrialABSTRACT
Introduction : L'antibiotherapie des bacteriemies est generalement empirique dans les premieres 48 heures; fondee sur les connaissances epidemiologiques prealables et sur la frequence de sensibilite aux antibiotiques des bacteries en cause. Objectif : L'objectif de cette etude est de determiner le profil epidemiologique et la sensibilite aux antibiotiques des bacteries isolees des hemocultures dans un centre hospitalo-universitaire; afin d'optimiser l'antibiotherapie probabiliste des bacteriemies en milieu hospitalier.Materiels et Methode : Il s'agit d'une etude descriptive realisee sur une periode de 18 mois; allant de janvier 2008 au juin 2009 au niveau du laboratoire de Microbiologie du CHU Mohammed VI de Marrakech. Resultats : Cent quarante six souches bacteriennes non repetitives ont ete colligees; les bacilles a gram negatif ont represente 52;7. Les especes les plus frequemment isolees etaient Staphylococcus aureus (21;3); Enterobacter cloacae (14); Acinetobacter baumannii (12;3) et Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8;9). La resistance a l'oxacilline etait de 48;3pour Staphylococcus aureus. Aucune souche resistante aux glycopeptides n'a ete trouvee chez les souches d'enterocoques et de staphylocoques isolees. Les enterobacteries etaient resistantes aux cephalosporines de troisieme generation dans 64;3des cas avec un phenotype de betalactamase a spectre elargi. La proportion de bacilles a Gram negatif non fermentaires resistants a l'imipeneme etait de 49;9. Conclusion : Une surveillance epidemiologique des bacteriemies en milieu hospitalier est necessaire pour mieux guider l'antibiotherapie probabiliste
Subject(s)
Bacteremia/diagnosis , Bacteremia/therapy , Blood Specimen Collection , Drug Resistance, BacterialABSTRACT
The suitability of blood collected on filter papers in comparison with corresponding conventional serum samples in the diagnosis of bovine anaplasmosis was studied using the complement fixation test; DOT-ELISA; Western immunoblot and rapid card agglutination test. Dried blood on Whatman filter paper no. 1 was eluted in PBS 0.05pc Tween 20 giving an initial dilution of 1:10. The reactivity of the eluted samples in both DOT-ELISA and Western immunoblotting were similar to those obtained with the corresponding straight serum sample dilutions. Filter paper samples gave lower reactivity in the remaining tests when compared with corresponding serum samples. There was no significant difference in the reactivity between the eluates from filter papers stored at temperatures ranging between 15.5 and 24 degrees C and those kept refrigerated. Storage at 15.5 to 24 degrees C did not significantly affect reactivity for up to six months. Eluates from filter papers stored for six months at 15.5 to 24 degrees C continued to give similar reactivity as those from freshly prepared filter papers in both DOT-ELISA and Western blot; and in the rapid card agglutination test. It is concluded that collecting blood on filter papers is a suitable technique for large scale seroepidemiological studies on anaplasmosis and offers many advantages in developing countries where transport and cold chain facilities are a major constraint