The Chemiluminescence-Linked and Blood Bag With In-Line Filters Analysis (2)
The use of a chemiluminescence-linked universal bacterial ribosomal RNA gene probe and blood bag with in-line filters analysis for the rapid detection of bacterial contamination in white cell-reduced and nonreduced platelets. The filtration of the platelet-rich plasma resulted in an approximate 2 log10 reduction in white cells with an average loss of 6.7 percent of platelets. Filtration did not appear to alter bacterial growth. In all platelet units that supported growth, pO2 dropped to negligible values and pCO2 rose relative to culture-negative units. The changes were most sensitive and specific beyond 5 days of storage. The universal bacterial rRNA probe assay was able to detect S. epidermidis in concentrations as low as 1 × 103 colony-forming units per mL in some cases and reliably detected all units contaminated at a concentration of 1 × 104 colony-forming units per mL. The use of this probe for the testing of older (or all) platelet units (pooled, individual, or apheresis) could lead to a decrease in the incidence of septic platelet transfusion reactions and possibly to an increase in the acceptable storage period of platelets.
