Background HIV risk factor screening among blood donors remains a cornerstone for the safety of blood supply and is dependent on prospective donor self-disclosure and an attentive predonation interview. Residual risk of HIV transmission through blood transfusion is higher in Brazil than in many other countries. Audio computer-assisted structured-interview (ACASI) has been shown to increase self-reporting of risk behaviors. Study design and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2009 and March 2011 at four Brazilian blood centers to identify the population of HIV-negative eligible blood donors that answered face-to-face interviews without disclosing risks, but subsequently disclosed deferrable risk factors by ACASI. Compared to the donor interview, the ACASI contained expanded content on demographics, sexual behavior and other HIV risk factors questions. Results 901 HIV-negative blood donors were interviewed. On the ACASI, 13% of donors (N=120) declared a risk factor that would have resulted in deferral that was not disclosed during the face-to-face assessment. The main risk factors identified were recent unprotected sex with an unknown or irregular partner (49 donors), sex with a person with exposure to blood/ fluids (26 donors), multiple sexual partners (19 donors), and male-male sexual behavior (10 donors). Independent factors associated with the disclosure of any risk factor for HIV were age (≥40 years vs. 18–25 years, AOR=0.45; 95% CI 0.23–0.88) and blood center (Hemope vs. Hemominas, AOR=2.51; 95% CI 1.42–4.44). Conclusion ACASI elicited increased disclosure of HIV risk factors among blood donors. ACASI may be a valuable modality of interview to be introduced in Brazilian blood banks.

Background We evaluate the current prevalence of serological markers for HBV and HCV in blood donors and estimated HCV incidence and residual transfusion-transmitted risk at three large Brazilian blood centers. Material and Methods Data on whole blood and platelet donations were collected from January through December 2007 and analyzed by center, donor type (replacement vs. community), age, sex, donation status (first-time vs. repeat), and serological results for HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-HCV. HBV (HBsAg+/anti-HBc+) and HCV (anti-HCV) prevalence rates were calculated for all first time donations. HCV incidence was derived including inter-donation intervals that preceded first repeat donations given during the study and HCV residual risk was estimated for transfusions derived from repeat donors. Results There were 307,354 donations from January through December 2007. Overall prevalence of concordant HBsAg and anti-HBc reactivity was 289 per 100,000 donations and of anti-HCV confirmed reactivity 191 per 100,000 donations. There were significant associations between older age and hepatitis markers, especially for HCV. HCV incidence was 3.11 (95% CI 0.77-7.03) per 100,000 person-years, and residual risk of HCV window-phase infections was estimated at 5.0 per million units transfused. Conclusion Improvement in blood donor selection, socioeconomic conditions and preventive measures, implemented over time, may have helped to decrease prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses, relative to previous reports. Incidence and residual risk of HCV are also diminishing. Ongoing monitoring of hepatitis B and C viral markers among Brazilian blood donors should help guide improved recruitment procedures, donor selection, laboratory screening methods and counseling strategies.

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and risk factors of early ovarian failure in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) women treated with cyclophosphamide (CY). We further tried to determine if there was a reduction of ovarian failure in recent years, due to reduction in the CY dose. We reviewed the charts of all women below 40 years of age who received intravenous CY pulse therapy. In order to be included, the patients must have finished CY treatment before completing 40 years. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (57 patients), patients who were treated with 0.75 mg/body surface; Group B (50 patients), patients treated with 0.5 mg/body surface. Fifty patients with similar age distribution who never received CY were selected from the database as a control group (Group C). The Chi-square test was applied to compare the categorical variables of the groups and whenever needed, the Fisher's Exact test was used. We observed similar age distribution and disease duration at disease onset between groups. Also, no differences regarding the age at menarche, total prednisone dose, and SLICC-ACR/DI scores were observed at disease onset between the three groups. In group A, ten (17.5%) patients refereed sustained amenorrhea, independently associated with treatment duration (P = 0.001), total intravenous cyclophosphamide (IV-CF) dose (P = 0.02), older age at disease onset (P = 0.04). Seven (12.3%) patients referred transient amenorrhea. Transient amenorrhea was related to CY treatment duration (P = 0.017). In group B, no patient reported sustained amenorrhea and 10 of 50 (20%) patients referred transient amenorrhea, related to CY treatment duration (P = 0.017). The most important risk factors for menstrual abnormalities were duration of treatment and cumulative dose of CY. Lower CY dose reduced the number of premature ovarian failures significantly in this cohort.

Background HIV test-seeking behavior among blood donors has been observed worldwide and may pose a threat to the safety of the blood supply. We evaluated current test-seeking motivations and prior alternative HIV testing experiences among blood donors in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods All candidate or potential blood donors were consecutively approached and recruited to participate in the study upon presentation at Fundação Pró-Sangue Hemocentro, the largest blood bank in Brazil. Participants were recruited between August 2012 and May 2013 after they were screened for donor eligibility. Questionnaires were administered through audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI). Results Among 11,867 donors, 38% previously tested for HIV apart from blood donation, of whom 47.7% tested at public facilities and 2.7% acknowledged getting tested for HIV as the primary reason for donating. Dissatisfaction with prior alternative testing experience was reported by 2.5% of donors. Current test-seeking motivation was associated with dissatisfaction with prior alternative testing experience and testing at a public alternative facility. The most common reasons for dissatisfaction were too long of a wait to get tested and for results, counseling was too long, lack of privacy, and low confidence in the equipment and accuracy of the test. Conclusion Lack of awareness about the availability of free and confidential public HIV testing services as well as dissatisfaction with past HIV testing and counseling experiences motivate some individuals to test at blood banks. Test-seeking behavior among blood donors may be best addressed by improving alternative testing programs, particularly with respect to time delays, privacy and perceptions about test accuracy. Educational campaigns on safe blood donation and HIV testing for diagnosis, risk counseling and referral to care are also needed for the general public and for health care providers.

Background In a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a blood bank in São Paulo, we tested the hypotheses that offering client-centered HIV counseling and testing to blood donors would: 1) reduce the risk of HIV contamination in the blood supply by diverting higher risk, test-seeking donors away from donation, and 2) increase return for results and referrals to care. Study Design and Methods We randomly selected weeks between August, 2012 and May, 2013 when donors were offered HIV counseling and testing (N=6,298), leaving usual procedure weeks as control (N=5,569). Results Few candidate donors chose HIV testing (N=81, 1.3%). There was no significant difference in HSV-2 prevalence (a marker of sexual risk) among donors during intervention weeks compared to control (10.4% vs 11.1%, p=0.245). No donor choosing testing was HIV-infected, and there was no difference in HSV-2 prevalence between testers and donors (9.9% vs. 10.4%, p=0.887). Returning for positive results did not differ between testers and donors (3 of 3 vs. 58 of 80, p=0.386). A higher proportion of donors acknowledged that HIV testing was a strong motivation to donate during intervention weeks compared to control (2.6% vs. 2.0%, p=0.032). Conclusion The evidence of our RCT is that offering HIV counseling and testing at the time of donation would not change the risk of contamination in the blood supply, nor improve results disclosure and referral to care.