title: Bacterial contamination of single-donor blood components.
abstract: An analysis was performed of the microbiological laboratory quality control data for the past 9 years (1985-1993). Bacterial contamination was detected in 100 of 25,171 tested blood components. Single-donor platelet concentrates had a contamination incidence of 25 in 5889 (0.42%); whole blood samples were contaminated at a rate of 1 in 2973 (0.03%) and red cell concentrates at a rate of 73 in 15,317 (0.48%); of 992 samples of fresh frozen plasma only 1 was contaminated (0.1%). Gram-positive staphylococci comprised 75% of cases and Gram-negative rods 10%. This frequency of laboratory-detected bacterial contamination contrasts with the low rate of transfusion-associated septicaemic events.
authors.affiliation: Blutspendedienst des Bayerischen Roten Kreuzes, Institut Unterfranken, Kontrolleitung Nord, Wiesentheid.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Illert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sänger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weise
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000517:prevention & control; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D001782:Blood Donors; D004340:Drug Contamination; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification