ATLANTA, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Despite blood donor screening, healthcare providers should be aware transfusion transmission of West Nile virus can occur, federal health officials said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report said Thursday the West Nile virus can lead to adverse outcomes particularly in organ transplant patients and others with compromised immune systems.
Donor blood screening methods for West Nile virus have dramatically decreased blood donor-related transmission of West Nile virus using nucleic acid testing, but current screening methods are not sensitive enough to detect all West Nile virus-infected blood donations, the report said.
Blood donation centers usually test for West Nile virus in pools, but use single testing if West Nile virus activity is high, the report said. Blood centers can improve detection of West Nile virus-positive donations by more rapidly "triggering" to single testing during times of high West Nile virus activity in their area, health officials advised.
