Blood Transfusions and Pandemic Influenza

[indigo girl]

As predicted, the pandemic of 2009 is beginning to yield more data, some of it directly applicable to pressing practical questions. The answers are still preliminary, and, as with all science, subject to revision. But it's what we have at the moment, and a letter that just appeared in the CDC sponsored journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, addresses an important question. During a flu outbreak, can hospitalized patients contract influenza from blood transfusions? Since people getting transfusions already have compromised health (else why would they be getting a transfusion?), they are at high risk for mortality with a supervening infection with influenza. No cases of transfusion-associated flu have been published, but there is evidence of a transient viremia (virus in the blood) with flu infections, so it is a real question.

Scientists in Japan, working with the Japanese Red Cross Blood Centers, intercepted blood products from donors where there was post donation suggestion of pandemic influenza virus infection and examined the blood for evidence of flu virus hemagglutinin or matrix gene RNA:

More at: http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2010/03/blood_transfusions_and_pandemi.php

The Editors of Effect Measure are senior public health scientists and practitioners. Paul Revere was a member of the first local Board of Health in the United States (Boston, 1799). The Editors sign their posts "Revere" to recognize the public service of a professional forerunner better known for other things.

[oramar]

Glad you posted this.