Blood Transfusion Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Blood Transfusion, including details on blood donation, blood types, leukemia.

Pathogen inactivation: a new paradigm for preventing transfusion-transmitted infections.

McCullough J

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.

Remarkable improvements have been made in blood safety since the onset of the HIV epidemic. However, the current paradigm does not prevent all transfusion-transmitted infections and is reactive to new agents, thus accepting that some patients may be harmed before preventive measures are introduced. Several methods are now available that selectively damage DNA and RNA, thus inactivating pathogens contaminating blood components while not damaging the cells or plasma proteins of the blood component. Clinical trials have been completed and pathogen-inactivated platelets and plasma are widely used in Europe. A recent consensus conference recommended implementation of pathogen inactivation when a feasible and fe method is available that inactivates a broad spectrum of pathogens. The shortcomings of our present paradigm for preventing transfusion-transmitted diseases are described, along with a summary of the status of pathogen inactivation.

Published 20 November 2007 in Am J Clin Pathol, 128(6): 945-55.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Blood Transfusion Research Today. All Rights Reserved.