Are you sampling all parts of split products?

Are you releasing products prior to obtaining results?

What are you doing about positives, are you re-testing using another method or simply discarding?

We have decided to sample the product prior to splitting. If positive, we will discard both parts.

Yes, we are releasing products anytime after sampling. We plan to recall if necessary.

We are sending positives to a microbiology lab that is offsite for an ID. Results will come back after the product has expired, so all positives will be discarded.

We are in the processing of validating but we plan on:

Only testing the mother bag

Will hold the product/s until 24 hr result is received (and hopefully negative)

Will be discarding any positives but retesting will be done, if possible.

Work - In- Progress - We are currently looking into reading the cultures at 12 hours. This seems to be the community standard here.

Bac-T both parts.

Ship after sample.

Quar. (recall) both if one is +.

Send off site for culture/ID.

We are sampling the mother bag after the 24hr hold period and hold the unit for at least another 12 hrs before release. Positive units are resampled/cultured on the BacT/ALERT and a sample from the bag is sent out for culture/ID. Product is discarded after investigation is completed.

AABB Association Bulletin #04-07 and #05-02 and Bacterial Contamination of Platelets: Summary for Clinicians.....dated 02/23/05 may help you with some of your questions.

There is an article in "Transfusion" volume 45, April 2005 that indicates that" Bacterial contamination of pooled PLT concentrates was not related to clinically significant transfusion reactions. Despite negative screening for bacterial contamination, life-threatening transfusion transmitted infections by contaminated PLT pool products can still occur." I'm wondering how many lives we've saved by doing bacterial testing.