Infectious complications of blood transfusion

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Blood Transfusion Safety
• Virology

Background:

• Blood transfusions carry risks of transmitting infectious diseases, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), hepatitis, malaria, and others.
• Hepatitis B and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are major concerns, with significant progress made in reducing transfusion-associated transmission.
• Emerging retroviruses like Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I, HTLV-II) and a second type of HIV (HIV-II) present ongoing challenges to blood supply safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the landscape of blood-transmissible infectious diseases.
• To discuss the effectiveness of current screening methods and controversies surrounding them.
• To highlight emerging viral threats and the need for future testing strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on blood-borne pathogens and transfusion safety.
• Analysis of the impact of implemented donor screening protocols.
• Discussion of controversies related to surrogate testing for non-A non-B hepatitis.

Main Results:

• Transfusion-associated AIDS risk has been significantly reduced through antibody screening implemented in March 1985.
• Controversies persist regarding surrogate testing for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hepatitis B core antibody for non-A non-B hepatitis.
• Other retroviruses (HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV-II) represent new and significant concerns for blood safety.

Conclusions:

• While major strides have been made in blood safety, particularly concerning AIDS, continuous vigilance is necessary.
• Ongoing evaluation and potential implementation of new screening tests for emerging retroviruses are crucial for maintaining a safe blood supply.
• The management of non-A non-B hepatitis and surrogate testing remains an area of active debate and research.