Platelet concentrates: sterility of 400 single units stored at room temperature

Four hundred single platelet concentrates were prepared and stored at room temperature for 72 to 96 hours. Triple cultures of each concentrate at varying incubation temperatures revealed only four positive cultures. The Corynebacterium species and Staphylococcus species, coagulase negative, were the only organisms identified and were regarded as contaminants. No transfusion reactions of bacterial origin were observed in transfusing 10,024 other single platelet concentrates. Room temperature preparation and storage of single platelet concenrates is a safe and practical procedure.