Transfusion Associated Graft Versus Host Disease Following Whole Blood Transfusion from an Unrelated Donor in an Immunocompetent Patient

Abstract

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a well-known complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Transfusion associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) is much less common and nearly uniformly fatal complication of blood transfusion. The risk factors underlying the development of TA- GVHD are incompletely defined, but it is commonly seen in individuals with congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, transfusions from blood relatives, intrauterine transfusions and HLA-matched platelet transfusions. Diagnosis of TA-GVHD may be difficult at a time due to rarity in occurrence and overlapping clinical features with various infections and drug reactions. We describe a case of transfusion-associated GVHD that occurred after transfusion of whole blood from unrelated donor in an immunocompetent patient.