Bacterial contamination of platelet products in the Blood Transfusion Center of Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

Aim: Overall the risk of transfusion transmitted infections has decreased, especially viral infections like HIV and hepatitis B and C. Bacterial contamination of blood and its cellular components, however, remains a common microbiological cause of transfusion associated morbidity and mortality. Platelets pose a special risk given their preservation methods. The incidence of these episodes needs to be assessed and updated on regular basis to accurately manage the risk of transfusion transmitted bacterial infections.Method: 2,000 platelet samples from the Blood Transfusion Center of Isfahan were examined randomly during a 5-month period by bacterial culture and molecular tests. Four platelet samples were found to be contaminated with bacteria, giving a rate of contamination of 500 (0.2%) of tested platelets. Isolated bacteria included one each of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Conclusion: Our study underlines the need for additional safety procedures like bacterial screening and pathogen reduction technology to further decrease the risk of transfusion associated bacterial infections.