Anne-Sophie Heroes1,2, Natacha Ndalingosu3, Jocelyne Kalema4,5, Aimée Luyindula6, Dorothée Kashitu7, Catherine Akele8, Jeff Kabinda9,10, Katrien Lagrou11,2, Philippe Vandekerckhove12,13, Jan Jacobs1,2, Octavie Lunguya4,5. 1. Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium. 2. KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Leuven, Belgium. 3. Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine, Hemovigilance Department, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 4. Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, Department of Microbiology, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 5. Cliniques Universitaires, Department of Clinical Biology, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 6. Hôpital Saint-Luc, Blood bank, Kisantu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 7. Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence, Blood Bank, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 8. Hôpital Pédiatrique Kalembe Lembe, Head Office, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 9. Université Pédagogique Nationale, Department of Health Science, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 10. Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine, Head Office, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 11. University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Centre for Mycosis, Leuven, Belgium. 12. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders, Blood service, Mechelen, Belgium. 13. KU Leuven, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bacterial contamination of blood for transfusion is rarely investigated in low-income countries. We determined the contamination rate of blood products in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective observational study, blood products in one rural and two urban hospitals (paediatric and general) contained a satellite sampling bag by which blood was sampled for culture in a blood culture bottle (4 mL) and on an agar-coated slide to estimate colony forming units (CFU/mL). Bacteria were identified with biochemical tests and MALDI-TOF (Bruker). Exposure time >10 °C was assessed on a subset of blood products. RESULTS: In total, 1.4% (41 of 2,959) of blood products were contaminated with 48 bacterial isolates. Skin (e.g., Staphylococcus spp.) and environmental (e.g., Bacillus spp.) bacteria predominated (97.8% of 45 isolates identified). Bacterial counts were ≤103 CFU/mL. Contamination rates for the urban paediatric, urban general and rural hospitals were 1.6%, 2.4% and 0.3%, respectively (p=0.004). None of the following variables was significantly associated with contamination: (i) donor type (voluntary 1.6%, family 1.2%, paid 3.9%); (ii) type of blood product (red cells 1.6%, whole blood 0.6%); (ii) season (dry season 2.4%, rainy season 1.8%); (iv) age of blood product (contaminated 8 days vs non-contaminated 6 days); and (v) exposure time >10 °C (median for contaminated and non-contaminated blood reached maximum test limit of 8 hours). DISCUSSION: A bacterial contamination rate of 1.4% of whole blood and red cells is similar to results from high-income countries. Implementation of feasible risk-mitigation measures is needed.
BACKGROUND: Bacterial contamination of blood for transfusion is rarely investigated in low-income countries. We determined the contamination rate of blood products in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective observational study, blood products in one rural and two urban hospitals (paediatric and general) contained a satellite sampling bag by which blood was sampled for culture in a blood culture bottle (4 mL) and on an agar-coated slide to estimate colony forming units (CFU/mL). Bacteria were identified with biochemical tests and MALDI-TOF (Bruker). Exposure time >10 °C was assessed on a subset of blood products. RESULTS: In total, 1.4% (41 of 2,959) of blood products were contaminated with 48 bacterial isolates. Skin (e.g., Staphylococcus spp.) and environmental (e.g., Bacillus spp.) bacteria predominated (97.8% of 45 isolates identified). Bacterial counts were ≤103 CFU/mL. Contamination rates for the urban paediatric, urban general and rural hospitals were 1.6%, 2.4% and 0.3%, respectively (p=0.004). None of the following variables was significantly associated with contamination: (i) donor type (voluntary 1.6%, family 1.2%, paid 3.9%); (ii) type of blood product (red cells 1.6%, whole blood 0.6%); (ii) season (dry season 2.4%, rainy season 1.8%); (iv) age of blood product (contaminated 8 days vs non-contaminated 6 days); and (v) exposure time >10 °C (median for contaminated and non-contaminated blood reached maximum test limit of 8 hours). DISCUSSION: A bacterial contamination rate of 1.4% of whole blood and red cells is similar to results from high-income countries. Implementation of feasible risk-mitigation measures is needed.
Authors: P Perez; C Bruneau; M Chassaigne; L R Salmi; L Noel; P Allouch; A Audurier; C Gulian; G Janus; G Boulard; P de Micco Journal: Vox Sang Date: 2002-02 Impact factor: 2.144
Authors: S Ramirez-Arcos; H Perkins; Y Kou; C Mastronardi; D Kumaran; M Taha; Q-L Yi; N McLaughlin; E Kahwash; Y Lin; J Acker Journal: Vox Sang Date: 2013-02-09 Impact factor: 2.144
Authors: Sien Ombelet; Barbara Barbé; Dissou Affolabi; Jean-Baptiste Ronat; Palpouguini Lompo; Octavie Lunguya; Jan Jacobs; Liselotte Hardy Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2019-06-18