Original Article
Bacterial contamination of platelet products in Dongguan Blood Center, Guangdong Province of China
Abstract
Background: Due to the importance of their preservation and collection methods, it is critical to assess accurately the risk of bacterial contamination of pooled platelets and apheresis platelets. The incidence of bacterial contamination was observed after four preventive measures (FPM) (including: sterilizing donation environment, screening donors, depleting white blood cells from pooled platelets, and removing the first 15 ml of collected platelet) were taken.
Methods: Platelet product samples (pooled and apheresis platelet products) from Dongguan Blood Center were tested by bacterial cultures including initial culture, subculture and identification. If initial culture was positive, subculture would be performed, and if subculture was positive, bacterial identification would be done. 3073 platelet samples were examined in 2006. Platelet samples were collected in 2006 and in 2007 until 2016 after the introduction of FPM. Recipient’s blood and transfused platelets were tested for bacterial cultures when adverse reactions occurred after platelet transfusion.
Results: In 2006, 0.72% and 0.47% bacterial contamination were found in pooled platelets and apheresis platelets, respectively. A total of 63 out of 28,711 (0.22%) bacterial contaminations were detected from 2006 to 2016 in pooled and apheresis platelets. From 2007 to 2016, the positive rates of contaminated platelet products declined significantly to 0.33% (pooled platelets) and 0.14% (apheresis platelets). Only 44 positive samples could be identified after the introduction of FPM. In 50 patients with post-platelet transfusion adverse reaction, no bacterial contamination could be identified.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the improvement of platelet transfusion safety by FPM, The rate of bacterial contamination in pooled platelets is higher than that of apheresis platelets.
Methods: Platelet product samples (pooled and apheresis platelet products) from Dongguan Blood Center were tested by bacterial cultures including initial culture, subculture and identification. If initial culture was positive, subculture would be performed, and if subculture was positive, bacterial identification would be done. 3073 platelet samples were examined in 2006. Platelet samples were collected in 2006 and in 2007 until 2016 after the introduction of FPM. Recipient’s blood and transfused platelets were tested for bacterial cultures when adverse reactions occurred after platelet transfusion.
Results: In 2006, 0.72% and 0.47% bacterial contamination were found in pooled platelets and apheresis platelets, respectively. A total of 63 out of 28,711 (0.22%) bacterial contaminations were detected from 2006 to 2016 in pooled and apheresis platelets. From 2007 to 2016, the positive rates of contaminated platelet products declined significantly to 0.33% (pooled platelets) and 0.14% (apheresis platelets). Only 44 positive samples could be identified after the introduction of FPM. In 50 patients with post-platelet transfusion adverse reaction, no bacterial contamination could be identified.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the improvement of platelet transfusion safety by FPM, The rate of bacterial contamination in pooled platelets is higher than that of apheresis platelets.
