No abstract

Data of 1,290,222 volunteer blood donors, in a 5-year period, was analyzed for prevalence and incidence of syphilis. Subsequent testing of donations positive in Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay included Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and fluorescent Treponemal antibody absorption. Stepwise logistic regression model was used to identify positive syphilis serology. Prevalence of syphilis was 47 : 100,000, similar in men and women and increased significantly with age (P < 0.001). Native Israelis had the lowest prevalence rate of syphilis (21 : 100,000), while a significantly higher prevalence was found among immigrants from Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America (odds ratios of 19.0, 10.8, and 7.3, resp., P < 0.001 for each). About 33.2% of the seropositive donors had evidence of recent infection, and 66.8% had past infections. Incidence rate reached 8 : 100,000 person-years. Coinfection with HIV, HCV, and HBV was calculated as 8%, 1.88%, and 0.37% for positive donations, respectively. The data support the need to continue screening blood donors in Israel for syphilis and employ preventive measures to populations at risk, in order to improve public health, blood safety, and quality. A subsequent study to assess blood donors' knowledge, attitude, and behavior is planned. In times of global migration this information may be useful to blood services worldwide.

The decline in thymic CT attenuation with age is consistent with fatty infiltration of the gland. The measurements given in this report can serve as a basis for comparison to determine whether the thymus of a young child is normal or pathological.

During the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 outbreak in Israel, incidence rates among children were 2× higher than that of the previous 4 influenza seasons; hospitalization rates were 5× higher. Children hospitalized for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 were older and had more underlying chronic diseases than those hospitalized for seasonal influenza.

Although the mechanical group (SOR) had larger measured EOAI, the greater increase in gradients with exercise in this group suggests that the TORONTO SPV is less obstructive to flow.