title: Safety in transfusion practices. Preventing infectious complications.
abstract: The benefits of transfusion therapy must always be weighed against the unavoidable chance of an infectious complication. Strategies to minimize the infectious risks inherent in the use of human blood and blood components can be categorized under four general headings: donor selection, testing, appropriate use, and follow-up and reporting of complications. The application of these strategies in the context of their role in the prevention of some of the infectious complications of transfusion therapy is discussed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Blood Center of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Polesky
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction