Low Incidence of Acquired Cytomegalovirus Infection in Neonates Transfused With Washed Red Blood Cells

•To the incidence of cytomegaloviruainfectionn transfusions of washed blood cells from random donors, 100 infants who were identified as being CMV seronegative at birth were resampled at hospital discharge and again six weeks after hospitalization.s received washed red blood cell products; 37 irecnonleukodepand/or plasma. There were 7.4 donor exposures per infant. Donor units were assayed for anti-CMV IgG and IgM at the time of donation. Seventy-six infants received at least one transfusion from a seropositive donor (mean transfusion volume, 89 mL; mean, 3.7 seropositiveor exposures). Infection was defined by seroconversion to anti-CMV. None of the recipients of exclusively seronegative blood seroconverted. single Infant who received 34 mL of washed cells from a seropositive donor (+,IgM-) and 31 mL of washed cells from a seronegative donor showed IgM anti-CMV after transfusion and Ianti-Csfollow-up visit. No recipients of IgM IgM+ were infected. demonstrate a 1.3% incidence of anti-CMVversion following receipt of washed red cells from seropositive donors. This rate is within background levels for hospitalizedes and is significantly lower than results of similar studies usingwashed blood.

(AJDC 1987;141:416-419)