From Central Office

Vox Sanguinis highlights

Fresh from the press

Original article

Risk factors for incident human immunodeficiency virus infection in South African blood donors

Open access

Click here

Avril Swarts, Karin van den Berg, Marion Vermeulen, Ute Jentsch, Darryl Creel, Ronel Swanevelder, Jennifer J. Hemingway-Foday, Edward L. Murphy, Brian Custer

Article Highlights:

  • The study confirmed known sexual risks as primary risk factors for incident infections in South African blood donors.
  • Risk factors were different for men and women, and included some unexpected risk behaviours.
  • The challenges involved in obtaining donor disclosure during selection and the importance of donor education are evident.

First published: 14 July 2025

Original article

Management strategies and clinical outcomes of obstetric patients who decline allogeneic blood transfusion

Open access

Click here

Ananda J. Thomas, Janet Adegboye, Emmarie Myers, Anjana Sekaran, Una E. Choi, Jana Christian, Elizabeth A. Hendricks, Mellany Stanislaus, Jamie D. Murphy, Ahizechukwu Eke, Arthur J. Vaught, Linda M. S. Resar, Steven M. Frank

Article Highlights:

  • In this study, we describe methods of specialized care designed for patients who decline transfusion for religious or personal reasons.
  • With coordinated bloodless care delivered by a multidisciplinary care team, there were no deaths in the bloodless or the standard care cohorts.
  • Morbid event rates were low in the bloodless (1.5%) and standard care (0.8%) cohorts.

First published: 10 June 2025

Original article

Noninvasive fetal antigen genotyping: Results from a survey on the status of clinical implementation

Open access

Click here

Frederik Banch Clausen, Åsa Hellberg, Cécile Toly-Ndour, Emilie Thorup Nielsen, Masja de Haas, The Noninvasive Fetal Antigen Genotyping Survey Group

Article Highlights:

  • Noninvasive fetal antigen genotyping is used for predicting fetal blood groups during pregnancy.
  • Fetal RHD screening can be used to guide targeted use of Rh prophylaxis.
  • Noninvasive fetal antigen genotyping and fetal RHD screening are well integrated into clinical routine in many countries.

First published: 9 June 2025

Report

Platelet component safety in the era of new advancements in bacterial screening and pathogen reduction: A congress report of the 2024 ISBT Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases Working Party, Bacteria Subgroup

Open access

Click here

Michel-Andrés García-Otálora, Carl McDonald, Jennifer Bearne, Bethany Brown, Anthea Cheng, Catherine Humbrecht, Pierre Tiberghien, Sandra Ramirez-Arcos, for the ISBT Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases Working Party Subgroup on Bacteria

Article Highlights:

  • Platelet component (PC) screening with automated microbial culture methods has significantly enhanced product safety.
  • Treatment of PC with pathogen reduction technologies has also significantly enhanced product safety.
  • A residual safety risk posed by challenging bacteria isolated from breakthrough post-PC screening or pathogen reduction treatment highlights the importance of continuous vigilance to improve current practices.

First published: 9 June 2025

Contents