Evaluation of a prescreening blood donor program for prevention of perinatal transfusion-acquired cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a prescreened CMV seronegative blood donor group in preventing transfusion-acquired CMV infection in premature infants in the perinatal period. Group 0 donors with known CMV seronegative status were recruited to supply blood to the neonatal intensive care nurseries. One hundred and twenty-seven low birth weight infants born of CMV seronegative mothers remained seronegative when blood for transfusion was screened for CMV antibody. Twenty two infants shared six units of CMV seropositive blood due to technical errors or poor sensitivity of the test kit in the initial phase of the study. Fifteen of these patients were in the study group. One infant died of immaturity at four weeks of age and two of the remaining 14 showed asymptomatic CMV infection. Another infant who received granulocyte concentrates from CMV seropositive donors had symptomatic CMV infection. Throughout the 24 month study period, blood supply to the ICN was adequate and timely. The donor seroconversion rate was 0.7% per annum. Only one infant was exposed to the risk of CMV infection due to donor seroconversion. We conclude that the prescreening donor program is a sensible and efficient approach for providing CMV seronegative blood in neonatal transfusion therapy.