New strategies for bacterial contaminations

Abstract

BackgroundThe detection of bacterial contaminations in blood components can be classified in culture methods, rapid detection methods and experimental new technologies.Culture methodsCulture methods have shown their benefit through easy handling and high analytic sensitivity. The challenge with culture methods, with the negative‐to‐date release concept, is a risk for false negative screening results due to sample failures and a reduced clinical efficiency.Rapid detection methodsWithin the last decade, rapid bacterial detection systems (RBDS) were developed as an alternative option to culture systems. In RBDS, testing time is reduced to 2–3 h. Therefore, a negative‐to‐date release concept is not necessary using these systems.New technologiesIn addition, new technologies are currently in development to detect bacterial strains in blood components. Electrochemical biosensors were developed for many different analytes, which range in size from individual ions and small molecules to nucleic acids and proteins up to whole viruses and bacteria.ConclusionsBacterial detection in blood components, especially in platelets, is implemented in many blood donor services. New approaches are promising to come to a next level to be implemented into routine screening, but the analytical sensitivity has to be improved for some of the new test systems in the coming years. Due to the fact that a risk for bacterial contamination still occurs in all blood components, the focus in transfusion medicine in the next decade will be the development of general principles and strategies to detect or inactivate bacteria in all blood components. Therefore, new developments are gladly welcome.