Detection of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates using flow cytometry and real-time PCR methods

Despite considerable advances in the safety of blood components based on the application of highly sensitive and specific screening methods to minimize the viral infection risk, the prevention of transfusion-associated bacterial infection remains a major challenge in transfusion medicine. In particular, platelet concentrates represent the greatest infectious risk of transfusion-transmitted bacterial sepsis. The detection of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates has been implemented in several blood services as a routine quality control testing. Although culture is likely to remain the gold standard method of detecting bacterial contamination, the use of rapid methods is likely to increase and play an important role in transfusion medicine in the future. In particular, flow cytometric methods and nucleic acid amplification techniques are powerful tools in bacterial screening assays. Compared to culture-based methods, the combination of high sensitivity and specificity, low contamination risk, ease of performance, and speed has made those technologies appealing alternatives to conventional culture-based testing methods.