Current issues in transfusion therapy. 1. Risks of infection.

Parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections may all be associated with transfusion of whole blood and components, including packed red blood cells, platelets, fresh-frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate. Proper collection and storage techniques, careful donor selection, and laboratory screening of donor blood for evidence of syphilis, hepatitis B, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection form the basis for prevention of transfusion-transmitted infections. Viral hepatitis, notably non-A non-B hepatitis, is the most frequent infectious risk of transfusion in the United States today. The risk of HIV infection is very low because of voluntary donor self-deferral and screening of donated blood for evidence of the infection.