Transfusion transmitted infection: viral and exotic diseases.

Viral and other exotic diseases may be transmitted by blood transfusion. These infections include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D and E), syphilis, malaria, retrovirus HTLV-1, and cytomegalovirus. Other more exotic diseases which may be transmitted by transfusion of blood or blood components include Chagas' disease (Trypanosomiasis cruzi), Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), and Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease. Screening procedures currently used in Australian blood banks minimise transfusion-transmitted infection. The risk of acquiring any infection in this manner may be less than 0.1%.