Transfusion transmitted infections: How many more?

Abstract

Transfusion transmitted infections (TTI) are a great concern of safety for patients. Since the starting of blood transfusion scientifically in the early 1940s, various transfusion associated problems have come to the forefront for the scientific community. These include TTI, alloimmunization to various blood components, issues related to cold chain maintenance, platelet refractoriness, transfusion (iron) overload, transfusion associated graft versus host diseases (GvHD), immunomodulatory effects, etc. However, TTI was first observed in the process of blood transfusion in the late 1940s. Till early 1970s, blood bank personnel were only concentrating on a few blood borne infections like syphilis and serum hepatitis by “Australia antigens”. However, the scientific community was well aware that there would be multiple agents.