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Pseudomonas fluorescens contamination of a feline packed red blood cell unit and studies of canine units
Author(s) -
Kessler Rebecca J.,
Rankin Shelley,
Young Sheri,
O'Shea Kathleen,
Calabrese Maria,
Guldin Amy,
Lipson Nicole,
Oakley Donna A.,
Giger Urs
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-165x.2009.00190.x
Subject(s) - pseudomonas fluorescens , microbiology and biotechnology , contamination , colony forming unit , packed red blood cells , biology , bacteria , blood transfusion , immunology , ecology , genetics
Background: While screening programs have reduced the risk of infectious disease transmission by donors in human and veterinary blood banking, bacterial contamination of blood products has emerged as a major complication in human medicine. Objectives: To describe a Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf)‐contaminated feline packed RBC (pRBC) unit and experimentally investigate Pf‐contaminated canine pRBCs. Methods: Canine pRBCs were inoculated with Pf‐rich pRBCs from the sentinel feline unit and stored at 4°C or 20°C for 72 hours. Aliquots from the pRBCs were serially evaluated by microscopy, culture, and a eubacterial 16S rRNA real‐time PCR assay. Results: One Pf‐contaminated feline unit turned black after 22 days of storage and was removed from the blood bank; a source was not found, and no other contaminated units were identified. Canine pRBCs spiked with 5 or 25 μL of the sentinel unit became culture‐ and/or 16S PCR‐positive at ≥8 hours at 20°C and 48 hours at 4°C and developed a color change at ≥24 hours. Sensitivity studies indicated that without incubation, inoculation of ≥100 μL Pf‐rich pRBCs was necessary for a positive 16S PCR test result. Conclusions:P. fluorescens grows in stored pRBCs slowly at 4°C and rapidly at 20°C. Screening of blood products for color change, estimating bacterial concentration with microscopy, and 16S PCR testing are simple and fast ways to detect bacteria in stored blood. Aseptic collection, temperature‐controlled storage, and regular visual monitoring of stored units is recommended. Discolored units should not be transfused, but examined for bacterial contamination or other blood product quality problems.