Listeria monocytogenes in donated platelets: a potential transfusion‐transmitted pathogen intercepted through screening. Issue 9 (30th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Menon, Manoj; Graves, Lewis; McCombs, Katherine; Hise, Kelly; Silk, Benjamin; Kuehnert, Matthew; Lynch, Michael
• Is Part Of: Transfusion. Volume 53:Issue 9(2013)
• Page Start: 1974
• Page End: 1978
• Publication Date: 2013-01-30
• Subjects: Hematology -- Periodicals; Blood -- Transfusion -- Periodicals; Blood Group Antigens -- Periodicals; Blood Preservation -- Periodicals; Blood Transfusion -- Periodicals; 615
• DOI: 10.1111/trf.12097
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0041-1132

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="trf12097-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Bacterial contamination of blood components is a potentially life‐threatening complication of transfusions. In October 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted four <italic>Listeria monocytogenes</italic> (<italic>Lm</italic>) isolates cultured from four different units of donated apheresis platelets (PLTs) among <italic>Lm</italic> isolates sent to the CDC National <italic>Listeria</italic> Reference Laboratory for subtyping as part of routine surveillance activities.</p> </sec> <sec id="trf12097-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Study Design and Methods</title> <p>We describe an investigation to determine possible common sources of infection among donors or factors associated with PLT collection or storage and to determine whether human transfusion‐associated listeriosis cases had been reported. We also reviewed all isolates with PLTs as a source sent to the CDC National <italic>Listeria</italic> Reference Laboratory between November 1, 2005, and December 31, 2011.</p> </sec> <sec id="trf12097-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Each PLT donor–associated isolate had a distinct pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis pattern combination. Other than these four cases, no other cases of <italic>Lm</italic>‐contaminated PLTs were identified by the American Red Cross or by CDC during 2005. However, two additional cases of <italic>Lm</italic> isolated from donated PLTs were detected, one in 2008 and one in 2011.</p> </sec> <sec id="trf12097-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Although the source of contamination for these PLT units is unclear, and a source common to all units was not identified, this investigation underscores the value of screening for bacterial contaminants of PLTs.</p> </sec> </abstract>