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Listeria monocytogenes in platelets: a case report
Ramon E Guevara1, Michael P Tormey, Dao M Nguyen
1Acute Communicable Disease Control Program, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, California 90012, USA. rguevara@ladhs.org
Transfusion
|January 31, 2006
Summary
A platelet donor tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium causing severe illness. This finding highlights the need for improved blood product safety surveillance and reporting systems.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Blood Transfusion Safety
- Infectious Disease Surveillance
Background:
- Bacterial contamination of platelet (PLT) products is a significant concern, prompting the implementation of pre-release testing.
- Listeria monocytogenes, though a rare pathogen, is associated with severe illness and a high mortality rate (20%).
Observation:
- A platelet donation from an asymptomatic individual tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
- Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed the isolate matched two other Listeria monocytogenes strains in the national database.
- Despite the genetic match, public health investigations found no epidemiological link between the donor and the other cases.
Findings:
- A cluster of Listeria monocytogenes infections was identified through PFGE analysis.
- The clinical significance of this detected cluster remains undetermined.
- The asymptomatic carrier state in the platelet donor underscores potential challenges in routine screening.
Implications:
- This case emphasizes the critical need for enhanced surveillance and reporting mechanisms for organisms of public health significance.
- Improved blood product safety protocols are essential to mitigate the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections.
- The findings necessitate a re-evaluation of screening strategies for blood donors to detect potential pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes.