Question

What is a bacterial transfusion reaction? what interventions are essential for prevention bacterial transfusion reaction?

Answer 1

Bacterial infections transmitted via blood or blood products is called as bacterial transfusion reaction.Contamination can occur from infection in the donor and invasion of the blood product during the process of collection, preparation, and storage.

Interventions for prevention bacterial transfusion reaction are

• Donor arm disinfection
• Collection of the initial volume of blood donation from the collection bag had the potential to dramatically reduce bacterial contamination. Special collection bags are used which has two sampling pouches
• Effective screening of blood and blood products for viral pathogens, infections with protozoa, in particular plasmodia, trypanosoma and leishmania and other bacterial sources
• Improving blood component processing and storage
• Use of rapid techniques for detecting bacteria like scansystem(used to detect bacteria in platelet concentrate),flow cytometry(this test use a flourescent dye to detect bacterial nucleic acid),automated blood culture system and BacT/Alert instrument (used to screen and monitor blood components for presence of bacteria)
• Overnight hold of whole blood between 18-22 degrees