Blood Products: CMV Negative and Irradiated Blood

Key points

• Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is transmitted in leucocytes; as most blood products (except granulocyte transfusions) are now leucocyte-depleted, CMV-negative products are rarely required
• CMV-negative products are still used for intrauterine transfusions and granulocyte transfusions
• Irradiated blood products prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GvHD) by inactivating donor T-lymphocytes
• Indications for irradiated blood: intrauterine transfusions, neonates, Hodgkin's lymphoma, bone marrow/stem cell transplant recipients, patients treated with purine analogues (e.g. fludarabine)