Prevalence, incidence, risk factors and residual risk associated with viral infections among eligible Brazilian blood donors.

Knowledge regarding the profile of eligible blood donors presenting positive results in laboratory screening is essential for reducing transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, incidence, predictor variables and residual risk (RR) of HIV/HBV/HCV in blood bags donated in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study analysed data retrieved from the records of a large blood bank relating to donations collected at multiple centres within the period 2012-2018, during which 1 991 120 blood bags were screened using immunoassays and nucleic acid tests (NATs). Multilevel modelling was used to investigate the association between sex, civil status and age group with HIV/HBV/HCV. RR was estimated from the incidence values (restricted to negative and positive tests within the study period) and window periods for infections. The prevalence in first time donors, incidence and RR of HCV (223.73 cases per 100 000; 54.84 per 100 000 persons-year and 1.6527 per 100 000, respectively) were higher than those of HIV (172.65 cases per 100 000; 28.25 per 100 000 persons-year and 0.8514 per 100 000) and HBV (168.17 cases per 100 000; 18.54 per 100 000 persons-year and 0.5588 per 100 000). The odds of acquiring infection were greater in male, single and older donors. Sixteen donors were identified as seronegative and NATs+ during the 7-year span of the study. Our study has clarified some spatiotemporal trends regarding HIV/HBV/HCV infections in donated blood in Brazil. The results will contribute to the formulation of directives addressed to high-risk donors.

Decline in human T-cell lymphotropic virus seroprevalence in blood donors from Minas Gerais, Brazil over a 12-year period (2006-2017).

To investigate a 12-year historical series (2006-2017) of human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-positive blood donations from Fundação Hemominas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, an observational retrospective study was performed to evaluate data of blood donor candidates who were screened for HTLV-1/2 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or chemiluminescence assays and confirmed by Western blot. We analyzed 3 309 716 blood donations covering 2006-2017 that were extracted from the institutional database. In a total of 3 308 738 donations that have complete algorithm tests, the global frequency of HTLV-positive donations was 0.012%. The seroprevalence in first-time blood donors was 28.82/100 000 donors; 0.95/100 000 donations were HTLV-positive in repeat blood donors. The frequency of HTLV-seropositive females was significantly higher than males (odds ratio = 1.85, p < 0.001) in first-time donors. The median age of HTLV-positive first-time and repeat donors was similar (36 and 32 years, respectively). First-time donors ≥41 years had higher odds to be infected. There was a clear tendency of decline in the HTLV-positive donations in the period analyzed, going from 19.26/100 000 donations to 8.50/100 000 donations. The increase in the proportion of repeat donors over the period analyzed (from 23% in 2006 to 67% in 2017) must be the principal factor that contributed to this drop. Our results showed a continuous decline in the frequency of HTLV-positive donations from Minas Gerais, Brazil throughout 12 years and emphasize the importance of having a high rate of repeat donors in blood centers to reduce the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted infections.

Distribution of serological screening markers at a large hematology and hemotherapy center in Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the distribution of serological markers in blood donors at the blood banks of the Fundação Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Minas Gerais (Hemominas), Brazil, between January 2006 and December 2012. METHODS: This is a descriptive, retrospective study on blood donors screened using serological tests for markers of transmitted diseases at the state blood-banking network. RESULTS: Approximately 78.9% of the donors were considered eligible for the study after clinical screening. Repeat donors represented 68.2% of the total sample, with males being predominant as blood donors (66.8%). Total serological ineligibility was 3.05%, with total anti-HBc being the most common marker (1.26%), followed by syphilis (0.88%) and human immunodeficiency virus (0.36%). The prevalences of the markers for hepatitis C, Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, Chagas disease and HBs-Ag were 0.15%, 0.09%, 0.13% and 0.18%, respectively. The blood bank of Governador Valadares had the highest percentage of positive anti-HBc donors (2.41%). With regard to human immunodeficiency virus, the blood bank of Além Paraíba had the lowest percentage of positive donors while the blood banks of Juiz de Fora and Betim had the highest percentages. The blood bank in the city of Montes Claros had the highest prevalence of the marker for Chagas disease (0.69%). CONCLUSIONS: Data on the profile of serological ineligibility by the blood banks of the Fundação Hemominas highlights the particularities of each region thereby contributing to measures for health surveillance and helping the blood donation network in its donor selection procedures aimed at improving blood transfusion safety.

Distribution of serological screening markers at a large hematology and hemotherapy center in Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil

Objective: To assess the distribution of serological markers in blood donors atthe blood banks ofthe Fundac¸ão Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Minas Gerais (Hemominas), Brazil, between January 2006 and December 2012. Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective study on blood donors screened using serological tests for markers of transmitted diseases at the state blood-banking network. Results: Approximately 78.9% of the donors were considered eligible for the study after clinical screening. Repeat donors represented 68.2% of the total sample, with males being predominant as blood donors (66.8%). Total serological ineligibility was 3.05%, with total anti-HBc being the most common marker (1.26%), followed by syphilis (0.88%) and human immunodeficiency virus (0.36%). The prevalences of the markers for hepatitis C, Human T-cell lymphotropic virus, Chagas disease and HBs-Ag were 0.15%, 0.09%, 0.13% and 0.18%, respectively. The blood bank of Governador Valadares had the highest percentage of positive anti-HBc donors (2.41%). With regard to human immunodeficiency virus, the blood bank of Além Paraíba had the lowest percentage of positive donors while the blood banks of Juiz de Fora and Betim had the highest percentages. The blood bank in the city of Montes Claros had the highest prevalence of the marker for Chagas disease (0.69%). Conclusions: Data on the profile of serological ineligibility by the blood banks of the Fundac¸ão Hemominas highlights the particularities of each region thereby contributing to measures for health surveillance and helping the blood donation network in its donor selection procedures aimed at improving blood transfusion safety

Prevalence of dermatomycosis in a Brazilian tertiary care hospital.

A total of 233 specimens obtained from suspected cases of dermatomycosis from 189 patients were examined for causative fungi from December 2009 to May 2010 in a tertiary care hospital in the city of Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Yeast and fungal isolates obtained from specimens were regarded as conclusive diagnosis of mycoses in 82 cases (35.19 %), with the exception of two patients with pityriasis versicolor (2.4 %), in which the diagnosis was made only by direct examination plus clinical diagnostics of individuals. Forty-four subjects (23.28 %) were infected in more than one anatomical site. There was a higher occurrence on female patients (146, 77.2 %) than male (43, 22.8 %). Most of the infected patients were aged between 41 and 70 years (68.29 %). There were no statistically significant differences between occurrence of fungal infection and gender, presence of secondary disease and contact with animals. The largest number of examined material occurred in samples from toenails, which resulted in 50 % of positive cultures. Candida species were the most frequent group causing dermatomycosis in many anatomical sites, mainly in toenails and fingernails. Candida parapsilosis was the most representative (40.24 %) among all agents causing dermatomycosis of toenails and fingernails, followed by Candida tropicalis (20.73 %) and Trichophyton rubrum (10.98 %). Among the dermatophytes, Trichophyton genus represented over 80 % of the isolates, with T. rubrum representing 64.29 %, T. interdigitale (T. mentagrophytes) (21.43 %) and Microsporum gypseum (14.29 %).