New methods in blood component production

Abstract:

The role of transfusion service is to provide adequate amounts of safe blood products. Thus, the blood component production is constantly improved by new techniques that increase the quality of blood products, reduce the risk of blood-borne pathogen transmission and allow better utilization of blood. While aging of the population in developing countries and increasingly aggressive treatment approaches result in an increased need for blood products, the exclusion of potential blood donors due to more rigorous blood safety requirements, emergence of epidemics of infectious diseases and discovery of new blood-borne infections agents limit the adequate availability of blood products. 

Key words:
blood-borne pathogen, transmission; blood collection; blood processing; leucodepletion; storage lesions