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Blood safety
M E Chamberland1, J Epstein, R Y Dodd
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|August 26, 1998
Summary
Reducing transfusion-transmitted infections requires ongoing vigilance. Strategies include assessing new agents, improving screening and inactivation, and enhancing surveillance, especially in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Transfusion Medicine
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Blood products, being biologic, carry inherent risks of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs).
- Emerging infectious agents pose a continuous threat to blood safety.
- Zero risk for TTIs is currently unattainable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline a comprehensive approach for managing emerging transfusion-transmitted infections.
- To emphasize the need for continuous vigilance in blood product safety.
- To highlight disparities in TTI prevention and surveillance globally.
Main Methods:
- Assessing the transmissibility of emerging infectious agents via transfusion.
- Developing and implementing effective prevention strategies (screening, donor deferral).
- Enhancing viral and bacterial inactivation methods for blood products.
- Establishing surveillance systems for known and novel TTIs.
Main Results:
- A multi-faceted approach is necessary to mitigate TTI risks.
- Balancing blood product safety with availability requires careful consideration.
- Significant gaps exist in TTI prevention and surveillance in the developing world.
Conclusions:
- Continuous vigilance and proactive strategies are crucial for blood product safety.
- Global collaboration is essential to address TTIs, particularly in resource-limited settings.
- Improving screening, inactivation, and surveillance is key to minimizing transfusion-transmitted infections.