Global Transfusion Safety
 

To date, 250 transfusion physicians and scientists have been trained in a 2-week clinical research training course given by Dr. Murphy and colleagues in Latin America, South Africa and at the Institut Pasteur in Paris (in French for francophone Africans). The most promising of these trainees are then invited to participate in 6-12 week internships at the Research Institute and UCSF; some have gone on to masters and doctoral studies. This new approach to global transfusion safety research has yielded an exponentially growing number of publications by mentored junior scientists in low and middle income countries (see Publications). The training program has also facilitated the REDS-III South Africa research program in collaboration with the South African National Blood Service. This program is carrying out studies of blood transfusion and obstetric hemorrhage; a case control study of HIV and hepatitis B virus risk factors; a study of very-early antiretroviral therapy in acute HIV infection (see Figure); and studies of blood donor motivation and return behavior.

Selected Publications:

Murphy EL, McFarland W, Lefrere, JJ. Teaching transfusion medicine research methods in the developing world. (editorial) Transfusion 2009;49:1532. PMCID: PMC2740979

Tagny CT, Diarra A, Yahaya R, Hakizimana M, Nguessan A, Mbensa G, Nebie Y, Dahourou H, Mbanya D, Shiboski C, Murphy EL, Lefrere JJ. Characteristics of blood donors and donated blood in sub-Saharan Francophone Africa. Transfusion 2009;49:1592-9. Epub 2009 Mar 10.

Laperche S, Boukatou G, Kouegnigan L, Nébié Y, Boulahi MO, Tagny CT, Yahaya R, Tapko JB, Murphy EL, Lefrère JJ. Transfusion safety on the African continent: an international quality control of virus testing in blood banks. Transfusion 2009;49:1600-8. Epub 2009 Jun 10.

Jagannathan L, Chaturvedi M, Mudaliar S , Kamaladoss T, Rice M , Murphy EL. Risk factors for chronic hepatitis B virus infection among blood donors in Bangalore, India. Trans Med 2010;20(6):414-20. Epub 2010 Aug 18. PMCID: PMC2957532

Lefrère JJ, Dahourouh H, Dokekias AE, Kouao MD, Diarra A, Diop S, Tapko JB, Murphy EL, Laperche S, Pillonel J. Estimate of the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a multinational collaborative study. Transfusion 2011;51:486-92.

Tran NQ, Murphy EL, Tran QB, Bui TMA, Nguyen AT. The study on risk factors for HBV infection in blood donors at National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. J Vietnam Med 2010:373(2):388-394.

Nebie K, Ouattara S, Sanou M, Kientega Y, Dahourou H, Ky L, Kienou K, Diallo S, Bigirimana F, Fretz C, Murphy EL, Lefrere JJ. Poor procedures and quality control among non-affiliated blood centers in Burkina Faso: an argument for expanding the reach of the national blood transfusion center. Transfusion 2011;51:1613-18.

Tagny CT, Kouao MD, Toure H, Gargouri J, Fazul AS, Ouattara S, Anani L, Othmani H, Feteke L, Dahourou H, Mbensa GO, Mole S, Nebie Y, Mbangue M, Toukam M, Boulahi MO, Andriambelo LV, Rakoto O, Baby M, Yahaya R, Bokilo A, Senyana F, Mbanya D, Shiboski C, Murphy EL, Lefrere JJ. Transfusion safety in francophone African countries: an analysis of strategies for the medical selection of blood donors. Transfusion 2012;52:134-143.

van den Berg K, Lam J, Bruhn R, Custer B, Murphy EL. Water administration and the risk of syncope and pre-syncope during blood donation: a randomized clinical trial. Transfusion 2012;52:2577-2584. Epub 2012 Apr 4. PMCID: PMC3404162

Dahourou H, Tapko JB, Nébié Y, Kiénou K, Sanou M, Diallo M, Barro L, Murphy EL, Lefrère JJ. Implementation of hemovigilance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Transfus Clin Biol 2012;19:39-45. Epub 2012 Jan 30.

Tagny CT, Mbanya D, Murphy EL, Lefrère JJ, Laperche S. Screening for hepatitis C virus infection in a high prevalence country by an antigen/antibody combination assay versus a rapid test. J Virol Methods 2014;199:119-123.

Diarra AB, Kouriba B, Guindo A, Maiga AI, Diabaté DT, Douyon I, Diawara SI, Touré BA, Fonkoro S, Murphy EL, Diallo DA. Prevalence of HTLV-I virus in blood donors and transfusion in Mali: Implications for blood safety. Transfus Clin Biol 2014;21:139-42.

Bloch EM, Shah A, Kaidarova Z, Laperche S, Lefrere JJ, van Hasselt J, Zacharias P, Murphy EL; the Anglophone Africa Transfusion Research Group. A pilot external quality assurance study of transfusion screening for HIV, HCV and HBsAG in 12 African countries. Vox Sang 2014;107:333-42.

van den Berg K, Murphy EL, Pretorius L, Louw VJ. The impact of HIV-associated anaemia on the incidence of red blood cell transfusion: implications for blood services in HIV-endemic countries. Trans Apher Sci 2014;51:10-18.

Bloch EM, Crookes RL, Hull J, Fawcus S, Gangaram R, Anthony J, Ingram C, Ngcobo S, Croxford J, Creel DV, Murphy EL; International Component of the NHLBI Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-III (REDS-III). The impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection on obstetric hemorrhage and blood transfusion in South Africa. Transfusion 2015;55:1675-84. Epub 2015 Mar 16.