[Risks to donor and recipient in blood collection and blood transfusion]

A summary is given on the local and general risks of blood donation for the donor and especially on the recipient's risks to blood transfusion itself, including massive transfusion. The transfusion reactions are grouped in (1) risks in connection with the technique and physics of transfusion (cooling, air embolism, microaggregation, circulatory overload), (2) biochemical-metabolic risks (citrate intoxication, acidity, coagulation deficiencies), (3) immunological-serological risks (allergic and hemolytic reaction, addendum: pyrogenic reaction), (4) dangers of infection (bacteria: septic-toxic reaction, protozoae: malaria, viruses: herpes group, cytomegaly, hepatitis). In order to cut down the overall frequency of transfusion reactions, the use of blood derivatives instead of whole blood has been described.