Effects of white cell reduction on the resistance of blood components to bacterial multiplication

While prestorage white cell (WBC) reduction by filtration may improve platelet and red cell quality, it also may remove an important anti-bacterial defense mechanism, especially if blood is WBC-reduced shortly after collection.

The question of whether WBC reduction of platelet concentrates and red cells altered bacterial proliferation kinetics in components prepared from deliberately contaminated, freshly collected blood was investigated. Two-unit pools of whole blood were inoculated, at a concentration of approximately one colony-forming unit per mL, with one of 17 bacterial species reported to have caused septicemia in transfusion recipients. Each pool was divided after inoculation, and components were prepared from the 2 units after a 7-hour room-temperature holding period. One unit of each AS-1 red cell or platelet pair was WBC-reduced, and the pairs were then stored for 42 days at 4 degrees C (red cells) or for 10 days at 22 degrees C (platelets). Quantitative bacterial cultures were performed at periodic intervals.

In red cells, clinically significant bacterial proliferation occurred in only one instance (Serratia marcescens), and growth was less rapid in the WBC-reduced unit than in the control. Three patterns of growth were seen in platelet concentrates. In four cases, there was rapid proliferation in both test and control units, while on 13 occasions there was minimal replication in either pair. On six occasions, substantial growth was noted in control units, while few or no bacteria could be found in the WBC-reduced units. There was no evidence in either red cells or platelets that bacteria proliferated more rapidly in units that had been WBC-reduced before storage than they did in units in which WBCs were retained.

Rather than increasing the risk of bacterial proliferation through removal of active phagocytic cells, WBC reduction by filtration before blood storage may act to reduce the likelihood of significant bacterial proliferation, possibly by removal of microorganisms along with WBCs.