BACKGROUND: Blood collected in the United States and Canada is screened for West Nile virus (WNV) using nucleic acid testing (NAT). The role that donor-reported symptoms of infection disclosed at or shortly after donation may play in enhancing blood safety has been debated. Little data are available on subsequent manifestations of WNV-specific disease outcomes in viremic donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Donors with initially reactive NAT results were informed by telephone and asked to complete symptom interviews. The questionnaires are focused on three time periods: the week before, the day of, and the 2 weeks after donation. Symptoms and risk factors were compared between confirmed-positive and false-positive donors (classified based on confirmatory NAT and serology). Additional analyses comparing confirmed-positive symptomatic and asymptomatic donors were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 423 of 536 initially reactive donors were interviewed between 2003 and 2006: 292 confirmed-positive for WNV and 131 false-positive. Individual symptoms were not significant predictors of WNV infection, except skin rash in the week before donation (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-7.9) and body aches in the period after donation (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1-7.4). Specific combinations of symptoms were not good predictors of infection, but donors with three or more concurrent symptoms before donation were more likely to have WNV infection (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.1). Demographic characteristics, predonation symptoms, and serology profiles in confirmed-positive donors did not predict postdonation symptom severity. Thirty-five confirmed-positive donors (12%) sought medical care for WNV infection, with two hospitalizations, but no cases of neuroinvasive disease. CONCLUSION: The number rather than type of symptoms is associated with confirmed WNV infection, but the overall predictive value is low. Very few infected donors develop clinically significant disease.
BACKGROUND: Blood collected in the United States and Canada is screened for West Nile virus (WNV) using nucleic acid testing (NAT). The role that donor-reported symptoms of infection disclosed at or shortly after donation may play in enhancing blood safety has been debated. Little data are available on subsequent manifestations of WNV-specific disease outcomes in viremic donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Donors with initially reactive NAT results were informed by telephone and asked to complete symptom interviews. The questionnaires are focused on three time periods: the week before, the day of, and the 2 weeks after donation. Symptoms and risk factors were compared between confirmed-positive and false-positive donors (classified based on confirmatory NAT and serology). Additional analyses comparing confirmed-positive symptomatic and asymptomatic donors were conducted. RESULTS: A total of 423 of 536 initially reactive donors were interviewed between 2003 and 2006: 292 confirmed-positive for WNV and 131 false-positive. Individual symptoms were not significant predictors of WNV infection, except skin rash in the week before donation (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-7.9) and body aches in the period after donation (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1-7.4). Specific combinations of symptoms were not good predictors of infection, but donors with three or more concurrent symptoms before donation were more likely to have WNV infection (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.1). Demographic characteristics, predonation symptoms, and serology profiles in confirmed-positive donors did not predict postdonation symptom severity. Thirty-five confirmed-positive donors (12%) sought medical care for WNV infection, with two hospitalizations, but no cases of neuroinvasive disease. CONCLUSION: The number rather than type of symptoms is associated with confirmed WNV infection, but the overall predictive value is low. Very few infected donors develop clinically significant disease.
Authors: Robert L Cook; Xiaohui Xu; Eric J Yablonsky; Nikole Sakata; Jennifer H Tripp; Rachel Hess; Paolo Piazza; Charles R Rinaldo Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2010-11 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Marion C Lanteri; Tzong-Hae Lee; Li Wen; Zhanna Kaidarova; Marjorie D Bravo; Nancy E Kiely; Hany T Kamel; Leslie H Tobler; Philip J Norris; Michael P Busch Journal: Transfusion Date: 2014-06-26 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Farnaz Vahidnia; Susan L Stramer; Debra Kessler; Beth Shaz; German Leparc; David E Krysztof; Simone A Glynn; Brian Custer Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2016-08-17 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Brian Custer; Debra Kessler; Farnaz Vahidnia; German Leparc; David E Krysztof; Beth Shaz; Hany Kamel; Simone Glynn; Roger Y Dodd; Susan L Stramer Journal: Transfusion Date: 2014-12-04 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Kim K Appler; Ashley N Brown; Barbara S Stewart; Melissa J Behr; Valerie L Demarest; Susan J Wong; Kristen A Bernard Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-05-14 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Zhanna Kaidarova; Marjorie D Bravo; Hany T Kamel; Brian S Custer; Michael P Busch; Marion C Lanteri Journal: Transfusion Date: 2016-05-18 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Marion C Lanteri; Katie M O'Brien; Whitney E Purtha; Mark J Cameron; Jennifer M Lund; Rachel E Owen; John W Heitman; Brian Custer; Dale F Hirschkorn; Leslie H Tobler; Nancy Kiely; Harry E Prince; Lishomwa C Ndhlovu; Douglas F Nixon; Hany T Kamel; David J Kelvin; Michael P Busch; Alexander Y Rudensky; Michael S Diamond; Philip J Norris Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2009-10-12 Impact factor: 14.808