
AbstractPurposeThis report describes initiation of apheresis capability in Liberia, Africa to support a clinical trial of convalescent plasma therapy for Ebola Virus Disease.MethodsA bloodmobile was outfitted in the United States as a four‐bed apheresis unit with capabilities including pathogen reduction, electronic blood establishment computer system, designated areas for donor counseling and laboratory testing, and onboard electrical power generation. After air transport to Liberia, the bloodmobile was positioned at ELWA Hospital, Monrovia, and connected to the hospital's power grid. Liberian staff were trained to conduct donor screening, which included questionnaire and onsite blood typing and transfusion transmitted infection (TTI) testing, and plasma collection and processing.ResultsThe bloodmobile was operational within 3 weeks after arrival of the advance team. Of 101 donors who passed the pre‐screening questionnaire, 32 were deferred. Twenty‐eight of ninty‐nine tested survivors were deferred for positive transfusion transmitted infection (TTI) tests; twenty‐one were positive for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus. The majority of donors had type O blood; all but one were Rh positive. Forty‐three survivors donated at least once; eighty‐nine apheresis attempts resulted in eighty‐one successful collections.ConclusionsApheresis capability was emergently established in Liberia to support an efficacy trial of Ebola Convalescent Plasma. Extensive cooperation among multinational team members, engineers, logisticians, and blood safety technical personnel at the operational site was required to surmount challenges to execution posed by logistical factors. The high proportion of positive TTI tests supported the use of a pathogen reduction system to enhance product safety. J. Clin. Apheresis 32:175–181, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Blood Safety, Blood Donors, Convalescence, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola, Liberia, Plasma, Virus Diseases, Blood Component Removal, Humans, Mass Screening, Survivors
Blood Safety, Blood Donors, Convalescence, Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola, Liberia, Plasma, Virus Diseases, Blood Component Removal, Humans, Mass Screening, Survivors
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 16 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
