Question

Irradiation of blood products - why do it in immunosuppressed:

a) To improve the taste of the blood products
b) To prevent allergic reactions
c) To reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections
d) To enhance the shelf life of the blood products

Answer 1

Blood products are irradiated for immunosuppressed patients to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections, specifically to prevent Transfusion-Associated Graft-versus-Host Disease, a reaction caused by viable T lymphocytes from the donor.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of irradiating blood products for immunosuppressed patients is to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. Ionizing radiation is utilized to sterilize a variety of medical supplies and is also used in the treatment of food to prevent spoilage and illness by microorganisms. In the case of blood products, irradiation demobilizes any potential remaining leukocytes, which could cause a reaction or infection in an immunosuppressed recipient. This process is crucial as these patients have a weakened immune response, making them more susceptible to infections, including those that could be transmitted through a blood transfusion.

In contrast to food irradiation, which is used to reduce pest infestation and delay food spoilage, the irradiation of blood products specifically targets the immunological components of the blood to prevent a condition known as Transfusion-Associated Graft-versus-Host Disease (TA-GVHD). TA-GVHD is a rare but usually fatal complication of blood transfusion in which viable T lymphocytes from the donor proliferate in the recipient's body and mount an immune response against it.