Autologous blood donor screening indicated a lower prevalence of viral hepatitis in East vs West Germany: epidemiological benefit from established health resources.

Prevalence data concerning viral hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the general population are usually scarce. We aimed for a large cohort representative of the general population that required little funding. Autologous blood donors are relatively representative of the general population, and are tested for viral hepatitis and HIV in many countries. However, frequently these data are not captured for epidemiologic purposes. We analysed data from well over 35,000 autologous blood donors as recorded in 21 different transfusion centres for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV), HBsAg and anti-HIV, as well as TPHA if available. We found a lower prevalence of hepatitis B virus and HCV in East vs West Germany, 0.2%vs 0.32% and 0.16%vs 0.32% respectively, which confirms earlier data in smaller cohorts, thus supporting the value of our approach. HIV was too rare to disclose significant differences, 0.01%vs 0.02%. TPHA was higher in East (0.34%) vs West Germany (0.29%) without significant differences. HCV was more frequent in women vs men. Transfusion institutes managing autologous blood donations should be used as a resource for epidemiological data relating to viral hepatitis and HIV, if such testing is performed routinely. This approach generates data relating to the general population with special emphasis on undiagnosed cases.

[Thrombocytapheresis with the (Baxter) A 201 cell separator--initial data of biocompatibility]. / Thrombozytapherese mit dem Zellseparator A 201 (Baxter)--erste Daten zur Biokompatibilität.

The cell separator A 201 was a new platelet pheresis prototype designed to carry out a discontinuous apheresis while platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is sampled continuously. After donation, a platelet concentrate (PC) and a fresh frozen plasma was collected from the PRP by the plasma cell-C device. The PC contained 2.6 +/- 0.7 x 10(11) platelets with a leucocyte contamination of 3.9 +/- 3.9 x 10(8) and an erythrocyte contamination of 3.0 +/- 3.0 x 10(8). The fresh frozen plasma was nearly cell-free. Prior, during and after apheresis we analysed hemolysis and coagulation parameters. There was no evidence for hemolysis. The analysis of the coagulation factors and of the Thrombin-Antithrombin III-complex, however, gave a hint of an activation of coagulation.