Status:
Ready to upload
Record number:
1718
Adverse Occurrence type:
MPHO Type:
Estimated frequency:
Blood component contamination by yeast is rarely reported. This is the first description of a blood component contamination by yeast (Candida Parapsilosis) and its possible transmission to a patient.
Time to detection:
Symptoms developed few minutes after the beginning of bedside leucocyte-depletion filtered red blood cells (RBC) transfusion.
Alerting signals, symptoms, evidence of occurrence:
Fever and chills without hypotension, dyspnea, chest and back pain or any of the common signs and symptoms of transfusion reactions. The transfusion was stopped. No signs of haemolysis.
Demonstration of imputability or root cause:
Forty-eight and seventy-two hours after the transfusion, Candida parapsilosis grew in the blood cultures of the RBC bag and of the patient. Blood donor's health was good before and after donation, donor's blood cultures were negative. The probable source of infection was the donor's skin and subsequently an improper venipuncture site disinfection.
Imputability grade:
1 Possible
Groups audience:
Keywords:
Reference attachment:
Suggest references:
Transfusion-associated sepsis caused by Candida parapsilosis. Pinto V et al. Vox Sang. 79(1):57-8, 2000.
Expert comments for publication:
Regarding the rest of the blood components from the same blood donation, Fresh Frozen Plasma cultures were negative, probably due to effect of the storage temperature (below -30°C), by the effect of antibodies and complement on the microorganism, or because the yeast is predominantly carried by leucocytes. The platelet concentrate had already been transfused on the third day post collection, pooled with other five units and passed through a bedside leucocyte-depletion filter.