ABSTRACT
Bacterial contamination of blood and its cellular components remains an unresolved problem in transfusion medicine. Its relation to release of some bioactive substance from cellular blood components is not determined. The present work was designed to explore the levels of two bioactive compounds Interleukin-1 beta and Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in stored blood and their relation to bacterial contamination of these units. This study was conducted on 112 blood units obtained from blood bank of Mansoura University Children Hospital. Sequential blood samples were obtained both immediately after donation and 10 days after for measurement of interleukin-1 beta and Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and for bacterial culture by BACTEC 9050 system. There was statistically significant increase in both IL-1 beta and PAI-1 [p= 0.0001] after 10 days of blood units storage. Bacteriological culture revealed no growth in 68% and positive growth in 32% of blood units. The commonest isolated organism was Staph. aureus [15%] followed by Staph. epidermedis [13%] then Yersinia sp. and Enterobacter sp. [2%] for each.From the present study we could conclude that; stored blood units contain platelets and WBCs derived bio-active substances PAI-1 and IL-beta which increase with the duration of blood storage. Furthermore, the extended duration of storage carries the danger of blood contamination by bacteria. Automated blood culture system seems to be helpful in identification of bacterial contamination of blood units. We recommend fresh blood transfusion as early as possible and the practice of Leucofilteration to avoid blood transfusion complications