AABB Publishes Updated Fact Sheets Highlighting Emerging Threats to Blood Safety

AABB is pleased to announce the publication of an updated and comprehensive library of Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Fact Sheets in a digital version of Transfusion. This landmark publication represents a significant advancement in ensuring the continued safety of the blood supply and strengthening preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.

First published by the expert members of AABB's Transfusion Transmitted Diseases (TTD) Committee in 2009, the EID Fact Sheets identified and meticulously described 68 transfusion-transmissible infectious diseases. These original fact sheets have now undergone comprehensive updates to reflect the latest scientific knowledge and clinical practice, serving as a guide for blood collection facilities and transfusion services to facilitate informed decision-making and policy development.

"The updated Emerging Infectious Disease Fact Sheets are a resource for the transfusion medicine community, clinicians and regulators.  We have tried to describe, and we hope to mitigate, potential risks from emerging infectious diseases and inform policy development” said Lou Katz, MD, chair of AABB’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Working Group. “By leveraging the expertise of AABB's TTD Committee, we aim to provide our community with basic knowledge needed to protect the health of donors and patients."

Each fact sheet contains a detailed assessment of each disease’s clinical features, possible interventions for blood collection facilities and the anticipated impact upon blood safety. The revised publication also includes two new fact sheets focused on recently emerging diseases that may affect transfusion safety.

The TTD Committee and EID Working Group remain vigilant to discovery of any pathogens that may emerge as threats to transfusion safety and will report new and updated information on the AABB website.