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URL: http://www.africacentre.ac.za/Biobank/tabid/460/Default.aspx

Proper Citation: Africa Centre Biobank (RRID:SCR_000638)

Description: THIS RESOURCE IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE, documented November 30, 2015. Extensive collection of biological specimens of various kinds that are mostly collected from the population around the Africa Centre in northern KwaZulu-Natal, but there are also specimens collected from populations in and around Durban and elsewhere in KwaZulu-Natal. The results of tests carried out on these specimens are generally stored in the main databases of the various studies involved, and are linkable back to the demographic and other data collected from the individuals concerned. The Biobank is curated by staff of the Africa Centre's Virology Laboratory in Durban, where all the specimens are currently stored, mostly in -80C freezers. A particular strength of its holdings are the dried blood spot (DBS), specimens five drops of blood on a filter-paper card, obtained via a finger-prick - of which there are now nearly 115,000. The following is a list of its holdings (May 2011): * 67,700 DBS specimens collected since late 2002 primarily for HIV prevalence estimation of the population covered by the Africa Centre Demographic Surveillance population. All have at least been tested for HIV, and just over 21% give a Positive result. Specimens are collected annually, so for some individuals we might have a sequence of 8-10 specimens covering 2002-2011. * 36,601 DBS specimens collected by the Vertical Transmission Study (VTS) between Sep 2001 and Dec 2006. This study focussed on mother-child pairs and investigated the vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child. DBS specimens were collected from both the mothers (at initial screening, and then from their children at Birth, 6, 10, 14, 18, 22 weeks, and 7, 8, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 months. * 6,585 DBS specimens collected as part of the KZN IMPACT study of PMTCT effectiveness in six districts of kwaZulu-Natal. The specimens were collected during 2004-2006 from infants aged 4-8 weeks when mothers brought them to clinics for immunisation. These DBS specimens are stored at room temperature, not in freezers. * 3,524 DBS specimens collected as part of the Kesho Bora study from Sep 2007 . They were collected from mothers at enrollment, and from the infants at delivery, 2 weeks, and at 4, 5, 7, 8 and 15 months. * 50,068 Plasma specimens * 28,775 breastmilk specimens * 11,277 breastmilk products (Pellets and lactoserum). These have all been extracted from the BM specimens in prev. item? * 11,188 RNA and DNA products extracted from DBS and plasma specimens from all our major studies. * 5,735 Serum specimens * 3,505 cell pellets * 1,778 whole blood specimens * 1,284 Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from the Kesho Bora study mothers (665) and their children (619) * 179 skin tissue specimens from the KST study (Kaposi's Sarcoma) * 176 foreskins

Abbreviations: Africa Centre Biobank

Synonyms: Africa Center Biobank, Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies Biobank

Resource Type: portal, topical portal, data or information resource

Keywords: mother, child, adult, pediatric, newborn, hiv transmission, dried blood spot, plasma, breastmilk, breastmilk product, rna, dna, serum, cell pellet, blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cell, skin tissue, foreskin, nutrition, resistance, demographic data, data