Transfusion-transmission of viral infections, such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, were once the scourge of blood transfusion. However, due to remarkable progress over the last 30 years, tests for viral proteins, antibody responses and more recently, viral nucleic acids, have virtually eliminated these risks. This review summarizes these advances in an historical context, describes new methodologies on the horizon, and discusses residual infectious risks associated with blood transfusion.
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2003 Aug 1;1(2):267-74.
AbstractTransfusion-transmission of viral infections, such as HIV and hepatitis C virus, were once the scourge of blood transfusion. However, due to remarkable progress over the last 30 years, tests for viral proteins, antibody responses and more recently, viral nucleic acids, have virtually eliminated these risks. This review summarizes these advances in an historical context, describes new methodologies on the horizon, and discusses residual infectious risks associated with blood transfusion.