Sterility Testing of Blood Products in 1994/1995 by Three Cooperating Blood Banks in The Netherlands

Background and objectives: Dutch regulations require blood banks to check the sterility of random blood components to detect contamination during preparation. Materials and methods: We reviewed the results of two years' testing, using standard bacteriologic methods. Results: Of all tested compo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Vox sanguinis 1997-01, Vol.72 (1), p.61-62
Main Authors: Soeterboek, A. M., Welle, F. H. W., Marcelis, J. H., van der Loop, C. M. F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Banks - standards
Blood Transfusion
Blood. Blood and plasma substitutes. Blood products. Blood cells. Blood typing. Plasmapheresis. Apheresis
Humans
Medical sciences
Netherlands
Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy
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Summary:Background and objectives: Dutch regulations require blood banks to check the sterility of random blood components to detect contamination during preparation. Materials and methods: We reviewed the results of two years' testing, using standard bacteriologic methods. Results: Of all tested components, 0.5% were contaminated, with Staphylococcus epidermidis being the most frequently detected microorganism. Platelet concentrates showed higher rates of contamination, especially when pooled. Leukocyte‐depleted red cell concentrates showed much lower contamination than red cell concentrates that had not been leuko‐depleted. Conclusions: The rate of contamination compares well with that reported by others in the literature. Since most contamination occurs from the phlebotomy site, most of the bacteria detected were derived from the skin. Leukocyte reduction lowers the rate of contamination.
ISSN:0042-9007
1423-0410
DOI:10.1046/j.1423-0410.1997.00061.x