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Updated: Sep 29, 2026
Treatment of Platelet Products with Riboflavin and UV Light: Effectiveness Against High Titer Bacterial Contamination
Published on: August 24, 2015
Incidence and significance of the bacterial contamination of blood components
1Department of Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Blajchma@mcmaster.ca
Abstract:
A septic reaction occurring during or following the transfusion of cellular blood components was one of the earliest recognized complications of allogeneic blood transfusions. The presence of bacteria in blood products has been a problem for many decades and currently it is probably the most common microbiological cause of transfusion-associated morbidity and mortality. Transfusion-associated sepsis due to contaminated platelet concentrates appears to be much more common than those due to red cells. The overall prevalence of contaminated cellular blood products (red cells and platelets) is approximately one in 3000; however, the transfusion to a recipient of a contaminated blood product may not necessarily be associated with clinically evident morbidity. This is because the majority of contaminated blood product units contain only few bacteria. In other instances, contaminated units may contain large numbers of virulent bacteria as well as endotoxins, and their transfusion may be associated with significant morbidity and even be lethal to the recipient. The prevalence of severe episodes of transfusion-associated sepsis has not been clearly established, but is probably of the order of one in 50,000 per platelet unit and one in 500,000 per red cell unit transfused. As a result of the increased recognition that such transfusion-associated episodes can occur, a variety of measures have been proposed to try to prevent and/or control the risk of transfusion-associated septic reactions.
Insights
Bacterial contamination in blood products can cause transfusion-associated sepsis, a significant risk. While rare, severe sepsis from contaminated platelets or red blood cells can be fatal, necessitating preventative measures.
Area of Science:
- Transfusion Medicine
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Septic reactions are an early recognized complication of allogeneic blood transfusions.
- Bacterial contamination of blood products is a persistent issue, leading to transfusion-associated morbidity and mortality.
- Platelet concentrates are more frequently implicated in transfusion-associated sepsis than red blood cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the prevalence and risks associated with bacterial contamination in cellular blood products.
- To highlight the potential for severe morbidity and mortality from transfusion-associated sepsis.
- To discuss the need for preventative strategies against transfusion-associated septic reactions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of transfusion-associated sepsis.
- Analysis of prevalence data for contaminated blood products.
- Discussion of clinical outcomes and risk factors.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of contaminated cellular blood products (platelets and red cells) is approximately 1 in 3000.
- Severe transfusion-associated sepsis occurs in about 1 in 50,000 platelet units and 1 in 500,000 red cell units.
- Contaminated units can range from low bacterial loads to high counts of virulent bacteria and endotoxins.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial contamination remains a critical concern in blood transfusion safety.
- Transfusion-associated sepsis, though infrequent, carries a significant risk of severe illness and death.
- Implementing and refining preventative measures is crucial to mitigate transfusion-associated septic reactions.
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