Figure 3-2. Investigation of transfusion reactions.
Section III. PREVENTION OF HEPATITIS
3-12. BACKGROUND
The incidence of hepatitis B associated with transfusion of blood and blood
products has decreased significantly since the advent of methods of screening donors
for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg); however, some risk of developing viral
hepatitis after the transfusion of blood remains, even with the most sensitive currently
available tests for detecting HBsAg, and with the use of volunteer blood donors.
Measures designed to decrease further the incidence of post-transfusion hepatitis must
be directed toward judicious utilization of blood, observation and follow-up of recipients
of blood transfusion, exclusion of implicated blood donors, and further research into the
etiology and pathogenesis of posttransfusion hepatitis C.
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