Bacterial contamination of blood products: factors, options, and insights.

Transfusion of bacterially contaminated blood products remains an overlooked problem. However, the risk of receiving a bacterially contaminated unit is greater than the combined risk of HIV-1/2, HCV, HBV, and HTLV I/II [American Association of Blood Banks Bulletin, no. 294, 1996]. Topics covered in this article include: the current incidence, clinical presentation and outcome, effective methods of detection, and ways to reduce bacterial contamination of blood products. There is no one existing strategy that can completely eliminate the risk of bacterial contamination. It is inevitable that partial solutions or combinations of methods will be implemented in the near future. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.