Using a rapid test to prevent transfusion of platelets that contain dangerous levels of bacteria
A colleague in Kentucky asks: "Has anyone used, or had any experience, using a Fenwal/Verax product to test for bacterial contamination in random platelets or single donor platelets (SDP or apheresis platelets)? Is anyone, outside of blood collection centers, testing random platelets or SDPs for bacterial contamination? Any input would be appreciated."
The following comments have been received in response.
ADDENDA April 9, 2010
- According to a representative of Verax Biomedical, over 40 hospitals (including some very large institutions) in the United States run the PGD assay on a daily basis. More interestingly, those sites have so far reported finding 13 contaminated platelet units with PGD (confirmed by repeat culture; true positive results). Among those positive products, 4 were in pools of platelet concentrates and 9 were apheresis units that tested falsely negative by 24 hour culture.
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