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Serum neopterin concentrations were determined in 20,000 blood donations. For the 400 donations with neopterin concentrations above the 98 th percentile and another 1200 donations with neopterin concentrations in the lower range, results of human parvovirus (HPV) B19 tests were compared. Infectious specimens were identified by dot blot hybridization assay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that used the outer primers and detected 1 pg of HPV B19 DNA, corresponding to approximately 10(5) copies of the genome, in the specimens and by a nested PCR that detected 1-10 fg of DNA, corresponding to 10(2)-10(3) copies of the genome. Of 400 specimens with neopterin concentrations > or =12 nmol/L (98th percentile, current cutoff), 10 tested positive by dot blot hybridization assay (9 of these were confirmed by nested PCR). Among 1200 specimens with low neopterin concentrations (<12 nmol/L), no specimen containing HPV B19 DNA was detected. These findings suggest an association between elevated neopterin concentrations and HPV B19 infectivity.

In Austria serum neopterin measurement was introduced as an additional unspecific screening marker for the detection of routinely unscreened viral infections in blood donations in 1994. This study was performed to test for associations between serum neopterin concentrations in blood donations and cytomegalovirus infections of the donors. All consecutive blood donations from volunteer blood donors collected during 1 year were incorporated into the study. Serum neopterin concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and each donation of donors with CMV seronegativity or unknown CMV status was also screened for CMV antibodies by CMV IgG/IgM antibody ELISA. Data of donors who had two or more donations within this period were retrospectively analyzed for CMV seroconversions. CMV seroconversion was defined as a change in the donor's CMV status from antibody negative to positive. Frozen, stored plasma samples of the matching donors were tested for CMV IgM antibodies to confirm seroconversion. CMV seroconversions were classified by antibody patterns. In total, 56,068 consecutive blood donations were given by 44,427 volunteer donors. Among these, 9,105 had more than one donation during the observation period, and 4,329 (47.5%) out of these repeated donors were initially CMV antibody negative, of whom 36 were recruited as candidates for CMV seroconversion; 20 conversions were confirmed. All early infections ( n=8) were associated with neopterin concentrations of more than 13 nmol/l (98th percentile of all donations = 12.1 nmol/l) and all donations were excluded from transfusion solely on the basis of their elevated neopterin level. In addition, 17% of late and carrier states ( n=12) showed elevated neopterin concentrations. Acute CMV infections among blood donors presented with elevated serum neopterin concentrations even before CMV IgG/IgM antibodies were detectable.

Background: The efficacy and success of a screening program for prostate cancer in young and healthy asymptomatic volunteers are described., Methods: In the present study, prostate specific antigen (PSA) samples obtained from 2,272 males (aged 40-65 years) who donated blood at the local Red Cross Blood Bank were evaluated. Two groups of donors were distinguished, which were investigated in different ways. Group 1 comprised individuals aged 40-49 years (n = 568), while group 2 consisted of males aged 50-65 years (n = 1,704). Volunteers in group 2 who had PSA levels greater than 4 ng/ml (n = 302) were referred for ultrasound guided biopsy irrespective of findings on digital rectal examination (DRE). In group 2, individuals with PSA levels exceeding 4 ng/ml and positive DRE findings biopsy specimen was ordered (n = 2). In patients with unremarkable findings on DRE, serum PSA was determined 1 year later and in case of more than 20% increase in the PSA level biopsy was obtained under ultrasound guidance., Results: The biopsy specimen yielded prostatic carcinoma in 58 patients in group 1. As a screening test, serum PSA determination was superior to digital rectal examination. On digital palpation only 2 presented with abnormal prostates. These 58 patients underwent radical prostatectomy and histological examination revealed organ-confined disease in all but 8. In group 2, in 4 of 12 males the biopsy specimen yielded prostatic carcinoma., Conclusions: This study shows that PSA measurement in blood donors is a useful method for recruiting screening volunteers, and therefore represents an additional possibility for early detection of prostate cancer in asymptomatic younger males. Furthermore, it represents an effective tool for following relatively young patients known to have a significant risk of prostate cancer.