Risk and prevention of transfusion-related sepsis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Transfusion-related sepsis is both the oldest recognized and most common transfusion-associated infectious risk. Despite an increased awareness and recognition of this problem, particularly with room-temperature stored platelets, strategies to prevent or reduce the occurrence of this problem have proved daunting. RECENT FINDINGS: With the recent FDA approval of culture methods for platelet bacterial testing and the promulgation of accreditation standards by the College of American Pathologists and American Association of Blood Banks to limit and detect platelet bacterial contamination, it is anticipated that the frequency of this problem will now begin to diminish. SUMMARY: As methods to reduce and/or inactivate pathogens emerge, it is hoped that transfusion-related sepsis will essentially disappear.