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. 2000 Feb 12;320(7232):403-6.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7232.403.

Prospective investigation of transfusion transmitted infection in recipients of over 20 000 units of blood. TTI Study Group

F A Regan  1 , P Hewitt, J A Barbara, M Contreras
Affiliations

Prospective investigation of transfusion transmitted infection in recipients of over 20 000 units of blood. TTI Study Group

F A Regan et al. BMJ. .

Erratum in

  • BMJ 2000 Jul 29;321(7256):266

Abstract

Objectives: To follow up recipients of 20 000 units of blood to identify any transmissions of infections through blood transfusion.

Design: Follow up study of recipients of transfusion.

Setting: 22 hospitals in north London.

Participant: Adult patients who had recently been transfused.

Main outcome measures: Patients had further blood samples taken at 9 months that were tested for markers of hepatitis B and C and HIV and human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I or II (HTLV) infections. Recent infections were distinguished from pre-existing infections by comparison with blood samples taken before transfusion.

Results: 9220 patients were recruited, and 5579 recipients of 21 923 units of blood were followed up. No transfusion transmitted infections were identified. The incidence of transfusion transmitted infections was 0 in 21 043 units (95% confidence interval for risk 0 to 1 in 5706 recipients) for hepatitis B; 0 in 21 800 units (0 to 1 in 5911 recipients) for hepatitis C; 0 in 21 923 units (0 to 1 in 5944 recipients) for HIV; and 0 in 21 902 units (0 to 1 in 5939 recipients) for human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus. Three patients acquired hepatitis B during or after hospital admission but not through transfusion; 176 (3%) had pre-existing hepatitis B infection. Sixteen (0.29%) patients had hepatitis C, and five (0.09%) had human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus.

Conclusions: The current risk of transfusion transmitted infections in the United Kingdom is very small, though hospital acquired infections may arise from sources other than transfusion. A considerable proportion of patients have pre-existing infections.

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Figure 1
Figure 1
Testing of patients' samples nine months after transfusion
Figure 2
Figure 2
Outcome for patients recruited into study
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