title: Streptococcus bovis septic shock due to contaminated transfused platelets.
abstract: Although most physicians and the public are primarily concerned about the risk of transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis virus during a platelet transfusion, bacterial contamination is actually the most common infectious complication. Unlike red blood cells, platelets are stored at room temperature (20-24 degrees C), which raises the risk of bacterial proliferation. The risk of bacterial sepsis is 2.5-fold higher for each unit of transfused platelets compared to each unit of red blood cells. We report an unusual case of Streptococcus bovis septic shock associated with a contaminated platelet transfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California 95128, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Carl M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mobashery
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Lee J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Levitt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000382:microbiology*; D001793:Blood Preservation; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017713:Platelet Transfusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000382:microbiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016985:Streptococcus bovis