INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION

Course overview

A SAFE AND RELIABLE BLOOD SUPPLY IS A CRUCIAL PART OF MEDICAL SERVICES. MODERN BLOOD BANKING TECHNOLOGY HAS LED TO INCREASED SAFETY BUT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION, ALTHOUGH RARE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING AND LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. KNOWLEDGE OF INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION IS IMPERATIVE FOR AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM REGULARLY PERFORMING BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE VARIOUS BACTERIAL AND NON-BACTERIAL INFECTION RISKS, MITIGATION STRATEGIES, EMERGING INFECTIOUS RISKS, CHALLENGES IN MAINTAINING A SAFE BLOOD SUPPLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, COST CONSIDERATIONS, AND THE CHALLENGE OF ESTIMATING INFECTIOUS RISK WHEN CONSIDERING THE INFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF BLOOD TRANSFUSION.