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Abstract: Background and objectives: Improvement of transfusion security in sub-Saharan countries requires the determination of priorities taking into account the specific context. Patients and methods: One hundred and forty patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) from one clinical centre for SCD in Kisangani, DRC were tested for HBsAg, anti-HIV antibodies, anti-HCV antibodies and for alloantibodies against red blood cells and human leucocyte antigens (HLA). Results: Thirteen patients had not been transfused and were free of HBV, HIV or HCV infection. HBV, HIV and HCV infections were detected in 2/127 (1.6%), 1/127 (0.9%) and 10/127 (7.9%) transfused patients, respectively. All ten cases of HCV infection were associated with patients who had transfusions prior to the introduction of HCV testing in 2004 (P =0.043). Red blood cells and HLA alloantibodies were detected in 13/127 (10%) and 2/127 (1.6%), respectively. Conclusion: HCV testing should be a priority. The rhesus (Rh) phenotype, mainly the RhD antigen and the Kell antigen should be assessed in SCD patients. Further extended phenotyping and deleucocytation should not be considered as priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on a study which investigates the clinical significance of the HLA-DR11 positive subset in patients with alopecia aerata (AA). In this study, researchers investigated various parameters in a group of 88 patients with severe AA. The group included 32 DR11 positive and 56 DR11 negative patients. When compared to the frequency of DR11 in 99 healthy subjects belonging to the same ethnic background, a significant association was found. However the analysis by DNA subtyping of the frequency of the various DR allotypes displayed a similar distribution in the diseased and in the control group. Researchers concluded that DR11 mediated form of AA includes patients with an earlier onset of disease, whereas the later involved a slight increased proportion of severe forms.