Transmissible Diseases and Blood Transfusion Proceedings of the Twenty-Sixth International Symposium on Blood Transfusion, Groningen, NL, Organized by the Sanquin Division Blood Bank Noord Nederland

This book is the only published literature that comprehensively discusses all aspects of transfusion of transmissible diseases, the facts and the fiction. It is of paramount importance to all involved in the vein to vein chain of transfusion medicine.

Session I addresses the basic blood safety aspects including the need for quality management, rational donor screening and the risks of blood transfusion for prenatal developmental toxicity.

Session II addresses the gamma of transmissible infectious agents from bacteria through parasites and tick-borne agents to prions and the risks associated with xeno-transplantation and xenozoonoses

 Session III sheds new light on NAT technology for detection of viral DNA and RNA, the cost-effectiveness of the alternatives to allogeneic blood transfusion. To what extent are genetic defects in stem cell genomic structures transmissible through transplantation and does questioning potential donors make any sense?

Session IV addresses the preventive aspects on the future of transfusion medicine. Quantitative real-time PCR for Parvo B19 and advances in bacterial detection technology. The advancement from theory to practice of pathogen inactivation technology based on destruction of nucleic acids in cellular structures. Finally, a plea is made for co-operation and collaboration on a global scale, changing the pars pro toto phenomenon (the ships that pass in the night) for a totum pro parte, a true joining of forces to create a global network for blood safety and structured blood supply systems.

Transmissible Diseases and Blood Transfusion is an important reference for all hematologists and researchers involved in transfusion medicine.