Red Cross Transmission

Red Cross & Additional Studies

Transmitting Lyme and Tick Borne Disease Organisms

Through Blood Transfusions

Quote- "The organism [Lyme] was shown to survive in RBCs [red blood cells] (4 degrees C) and FFP [fresh frozen plasma] (below -18 degrees C) for 45 days and in PCs [platelet concentrates] (20-24 degrees C) for 6 days. The results of this study do not exclude the possibility of transmission of Lyme disease through blood transfusion." [See 1989 abstract below.]

Quote- "Refrigeration of B. divergens leads to an alteration of parasite morphology and a decrease in parasite numbers. However, there are sufficient parasites that are robust enough to survive 31 days of storage at 4°C and yield high end-point parasitemia." [Impact of Cold Storage- 2014- abstract below]

Current perspectives in transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases: emerging and re-emerging infections.

Stramer SL.

ISBT Sci Ser. 2014 Jul;9(1):30-36. Epub 2014 Jul 28.

PMID: 25210533 [PubMed] Free PMC Article

Costs, consequences, and cost-effectiveness of strategies for Babesia microti donor screening of the US blood supply.

Goodell AJ, Bloch EM, Krause PJ, Custer B.

Transfusion. 2014 Sep;54(9):2245-57. doi: 10.1111/trf.12805. Epub 2014 Aug 11.

PMID: 25109338 [PubMed - in process]

Determination of Babesia microti seroprevalence in blood donor populations using an investigational enzyme immunoassay.

Levin AE, Williamson PC, Erwin JL, Cyrus S, Bloch EM, Shaz BH, Kessler D, Telford SR 3rd, Krause PJ, Wormser GP, Ni X, Wang H, Krueger NX, Caglioti S, Busch MP.

Transfusion. 2014 Sep;54(9):2237-44. doi: 10.1111/trf.12763. Epub 2014 Jul 4.

PMID: 24995863 [PubMed - in process]

Investigational screening for Babesia microti in a large repository of blood donor samples from nonendemic and endemic areas of the United States.

Moritz ED, Winton CS, Johnson ST, Krysztof DE, Townsend RL, Foster GA, Devine P, Molloy P, Brissette E, Berardi VP, Stramer SL.

Transfusion. 2014 Sep;54(9):2226-36. doi: 10.1111/trf.12693. Epub 2014 May 28.

PMID: 24865803 [PubMed - in process]

A longitudinal study of Babesia microti infection in seropositive blood donors.

Leiby DA, Johnson ST, Won KY, Nace EK, Slemenda SB, Pieniazek NJ, Cable RG, Herwaldt BL.

Transfusion. 2014 Sep;54(9):2217-25. doi: 10.1111/trf.12622. Epub 2014 Mar 28.

PMID: 24673297 [PubMed - in process]

Risk assessment of transfusion-associated babesiosis in Tyrol: appraisal by seroepidemiology and polymerase chain reaction.

Sonnleitner ST, Fritz J, Bednarska M, Baumgartner R, Simeoni J, Zelger R, Schennach H, Lass-Flörl C, Edelhofer R, Pfister K, Milhakov A, Walder G.

Transfusion. 2014 Jul;54(7):1725-32. doi: 10.1111/trf.12606. Epub 2014 Mar 28.

PMID: 24673158 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Emerging Pathogens - How Safe is Blood?

Schmidt M, Geilenkeuser WJ, Sireis W, Seifried E, Hourfar K.

Transfus Med Hemother. 2014 Feb;41(1):10-7. doi: 10.1159/000358017. Epub 2013 Dec 27. Review.

PMID: 24659943 [PubMed] Free PMC Article

Cost-effectiveness of blood donor screening for Babesia microti in endemic regions of the United States.

Simon MS, Leff JA, Pandya A, Cushing M, Shaz BH, Calfee DP, Schackman BR, Mushlin AI.

Transfusion. 2014 Mar;54(3 Pt 2):889-99. doi: 10.1111/trf.12492. Epub 2013 Nov 19.

PMID: 24252132 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Free PMC Article

Transfusion complications in thalassemia patients: a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CME).

Vichinsky E, Neumayr L, Trimble S, Giardina PJ, Cohen AR, Coates T, Boudreaux J, Neufeld EJ, Kenney K, Grant A, Thompson AA; CDC Thalassemia Investigators.

Transfusion. 2014 Apr;54(4):972-81; quiz 971. doi: 10.1111/trf.12348. Epub 2013 Jul 25.

PMID: 23889533 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Babesia: impact of cold storage on the survival and the viability of parasites in bloodbags.

Cursino-Santos JR, Alhassan A, Singh M, Lobo CA.

Transfusion. 2014 Mar;54(3):585-91. doi: 10.1111/trf.12357. Epub 2013 Jul 28.

PMID: 23888882 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Babesia: impact of cold storage on the survival and the viability of parasites in bloodbags.

Cursino-Santos JR, Alhassan A, Singh M, Lobo CA.

Transfusion. 2014 Mar;54(3):585-91. doi: 10.1111/trf.12357. Epub 2013 Jul 28.

PMID: 23888882 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Risk and prevention of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis and other tick-borne diseases.

Cable RG, Leiby DA.