American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) Proud that Plasmapheresis used to Treat Ebola
Vancouver, Canada (PRWEB) November 06, 2014 -- The American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) is proud that plasmapheresis is used as a treatment for Ebola.
Plasma is the liquid part of the blood which contains antibodies which fight diseases such as viruses. Plasmapheresis is a medical procedure which separates plasma from the rest of the blood. Plasmapheresis has been used to collect the plasma from recovered Ebola patients, and used as a source of antibodies given to patients with active Ebola infections in an attempt to aid their recovery. This plasma is the so called “convalescent blood therapy” being reported in the news.
Although similar technology is used in both therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and plasmapheresis, these are two different procedures. TPE is used in the treatment of specific diseases while plasmapheresis is the collection of donor plasma for transfusion.
ASFA is an organization of physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals whose mission is to advance apheresis medicine for patients, donors and practitioners through education, evidence-based practice, research and advocacy. ASFA is proud that an apheresis procedure (plasmapheresis) is contributing to the care of Ebola patients.
To learn more about ASFA and its activities, please visit: http://www.apheresis.org
Sarah McCarthy, MSc, MBA, American Society for Apheresis (ASFA), http://www.apheresis.org, +1 (604) 484-2851, [email protected]
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