A patient treated of COVID-19 on April 21 donated plasma for the treatment of infected persons, this being the first case of the kind in Moldova. The plasma of one person cured of COVID-19 can help treat at least three infected persons in a serious state, IPN reports.
In an interview for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, National Blood Transfusion Center head Svetlana Cebotari said the plasma-based treatment method in Moldova has been regulated since April 13. From that day, the medical staffs of hospitals have informed cured patients of such a treatment method.
A person treated of COVID-19 can donate plasma 14 days after the last symptom of infection disappears or after full recovery. A donation of plasma of about 600 ml is divided into three doses of 200 ml each that are given to three patients, by one dose a day. Up to five doses are administered to a patient.
The persons can donate plasma at the National Blood Transfusion Center in Chisinau, which has subdivisions in Bălți, Cahul and Chisinau, and at donation centers.
The plasma with antibodies is collected only from men who had COVID-19 and recovered. Svetlana Cebotari explained that the transfusion of plasma seldom can result in a serious side effect – TRALI (transfusion-related acute lung injury) syndrome. To reduce such a risk, the plasma is usually collected from a person who has never been pregnant. The women thus form part of the increased risk group of people whose blood contains anti-HLA/HPA/HNA antibodies that cause the TRALI syndrome. The collection of plasma only from men fully excludes such a risk.
The infections with COVID-19 in Moldova now number 2,614. Of the infected persons, 505 got cured.
