title: Maintaining a Safe Blood Supply in an Era of Emerging Pathogens.
abstract: Coming shortly after outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya virus in related locations, the recent outbreak of Zika virus in the southern part of the western hemisphere is yet another reminder that infectious pathogens continue to emerge rapidly and can adversely affect public health, including the safety of the blood supply. In response to Zika virus, public health measures that rely largely on donor deferral and sourcing of blood from non-outbreak areas until a blood donor screening test becomes available have been implemented to address the safety of the blood supply in the United States. However, a more universal approach to ensuring blood safety in the setting of rapidly emerging infectious diseases is needed.
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Jay S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland.
authors.forename: Luciana L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Borio
mesh_terms: D001771:Blood Banks / Q000592:standards*; D001782:Blood Donors; D001793:Blood Preservation; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014481:United States; D000071244:Zika Virus; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000097:blood / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology
keywords: Zika virus; blood safety; donor screening tests; emerging pathogens; pathogen-reduction