Abstract
ObjectivesInfection remains a leading cause of post-transfusion mortality and morbidity. Bacterial contamination is, however, detected in less than 0.1% of blood units tested. The aim of the study was to identify viable bacteria in standard blood-pack units, with particular focus on bacteria from the oral cavity, and to determine the distribution of bacteria revealed in plasma and in the red blood cell (RBC)-fraction.DesignCross-sectional study. Blood were separated into plasma and RBC-suspensions, which were incubated anaerobically or aerobically for 7 days on trypticase soy blood agar (TSA) or blue lactose plates. For identification colony PCR was performed using primers targeting 16S rDNA.SettingBlood donors attending Capital Region Blood Bank, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Hvidovre, Denmark, October 29th to December 10th 2013.Participants60 donors (≥50 years old), self-reported medically healthy.ResultsBacterial growth was observed on plates inoculated with plasma or RBCs from 62% of the blood donations. Growth was evident in 21 (35%) of 60 RBC-fractions and in 32 (53%) of 60 plasma-fractions versus 8 of 60 negative controls (p = 0.005 and p = 2.6x10-6, respectively). Propionibacterium acnes was found in 23% of the donations, and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 38%. The majority of bacteria identified in the present study were either facultative anaerobic (59.5%) or anaerobic (27.8%) species, which are not likely to be detected during current routine screening.ConclusionsViable bacteria are present in blood from donors self-reported as medically healthy, indicating that conventional test systems employed by blood banks insufficiently detect bacteria in plasma. Further investigation is needed to determine whether routine testing for anaerobic bacteria and testing of RBC-fractions for adherent bacteria should be recommended.
Highlights
The risk of mortality and morbidity following blood transfusion is low, and has declined over recent years [1,2,3]
Bacterial growth was observed on plates inoculated with plasma or red blood cell (RBC) from 62% of the blood donations
Propionibacterium acnes was found in 23% of the donations, and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 38%
Summary
The risk of mortality and morbidity following blood transfusion is low, and has declined over recent years [1,2,3]. Infection resulting from the introduction of a pathogen into a person through blood transfusion are known as transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) [3], and such infections remains a leading cause of post-transfusion mortality and morbidity [4,5]. The odds ratio for developing infectious complications following RBC transfusion has been estimated to 1.88 [7]. There is currently no data to explain the discrepancy between the high rates of posttransfusional infections and low rates of bacterial contamination in the available literature
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
