Analysis of clinical presentations of allergic transfusion reactions and febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions in paediatric patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Like adults, children can have allergic transfusion reactions (ATRs) and febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs). But published information about the incidence of paediatric ATR and FNHTR is scarce. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted from April 2002 to June 2018 on children who had ATRs and/or FNHTRs to platelet (PLT), red blood cell (RBC) or washed PLT/RBC concentrate transfusions. We analysed ATR/FNHTR clinical presentations, such as severity, time of occurrence and other features when they occurred. RESULTS: During the study, 2742 children received 23 444 bags of PLT and RBC concentrate (including washed products). ATRs occurred in 100 cases (3·6% of total patients), caused by 201 products (0·9% of total products). In contrast, 28 patients (1·0% of total patients) had 42 FNHTRs caused by 42 products (0·2% of total products). Upon analysis of cases with detailed clinical information, the median onset time for ATRs and FNHTRs was 2·0 h after the start of transfusion. Of the 40% of ATRs that necessitated the discontinuation of blood transfusions, 10% escalated to anaphylaxis. Compared with minor ATRs, anaphylaxis tended to develop quickly. Moreover, 96% of patients with FNHTRs had a fever less than 39°C. There were no associations between blood product types and numbers or occurrence patterns of these reactions. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of ATRs and FNHTRs in children was variable, although there are common features such as severity and time of occurrence.

Molecular epidemiology of noroviruses detected in food handler-associated outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Japan.

Twelve outbreaks of food handler-associated gastroenteritis between November 2002 and March 2006 in Japan were examined for norovirus (NoV) using RT-PCR and sequence analysis. NoV was detected in 77 of 81 customers and 45 of 104 food handlers. Identical NoV sequences were detected in patients and food handlers in each outbreak.

[Food borne outbreak caused by the well water contaminated norovirus].

In May 2004, 65 people from 18 groups of visitors to guesthouse (a traditional Japanese guesthouse) in the Nagano Prefecture, Japan developed acute gastroenteritis. Although these cases originally attributed to food poisoning, based on epidemiological and dietary surveys, there was nothing that is associated as a cause food. The same wall water was used throughout the guesthouse except in the kitchen, so testing was conducted on this water. Lordsdale variant strain of Norovirus was detected from both of the well water and the feces of patients and staff. The well supplying to the guesthouse was only 10 meters deep and fecal coliform group was also detected in the well water from the guesthouse. This suggested that the water source was contaminated by human feces.