Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41485768›Full record

ArticleVox sanguinis2026

Monitoring bacterial contamination of blood components at the Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine-Evolution of strategies and results in a 14-year period (2011-2024).

Ivanka Batarilo, Mia Slade-Vitkovic, Lidija Rukavina, Jadranka Gulan Harcet, Julijana Ljubicic, Adrijana Grdic, Marko Karlo Radovcic, Matea Vinkovic, Irena Jukic, Tomislav Vuk

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Vox sanguinis, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ivanka BatariloMicrobiology Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1775-0807
Mia Slade-VitkovicMicrobiology Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Lidija RukavinaMicrobiology Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Jadranka Gulan HarcetQuality Control Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Julijana LjubicicQuality Assurance Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Adrijana GrdicQuality Control Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Marko Karlo RadovcicBlood Component Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2077-2713
Matea VinkovicBlood Component Department, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5356-5174
Irena JukicInternal Medicine Department, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Tomislav VukQuality Management Division, Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesThis study presents the results and experiences of bacterial testing of blood components (BCs) at the Croatian Institute of Transfusion Medicine during the period 2011-2024. MATERIALS AND

methodsDuring the 14-year period, 74,283 BCs were tested. Among these, 20,231 components (8345 red blood cell concentrates, 5729 platelet concentrates [PCs] and 6157 plasma units) were tested as part of statistical quality control (QC). In addition, 100% bacterial screening was implemented for aphaeresis platelets in November 2019 and for pooled platelets in October 2022 with 17,187 aphaeresis platelets and 36,865 pooled platelets tested by the end of 2024. All pooled platelets were tested using the large-volume delayed sampling (LVDS) method, whereas 9596 aphaeresis platelets were tested using the two-step method (from November 2019 to November 2022) and 7591 using LVDS (from November 2022 to December 2024). BCs were sampled and inoculated into both aerobic and anaerobic culture bottles and incubated at 36 ± 1°C for 7 days.

resultsAs part of the statistical QC, 20,231 BCs (5729 PCs) were tested, resulting in a confirmed contamination rate of 0.09% (0.14% for PCs). Since the implementation of universal screening, 54,052 PCs have been examined, with a confirmed positivity rate of 0.18%. The most frequently detected organism was Cutibacterium acnes.

conclusionThe confirmed positive rate of bacterial testing in our study and the isolates from positive cultures are comparable to similar studies. Active bacterial screening of BCs, among other measures, remains a critical step for preventing transfusion-associated bacterial infections.

Indexed as

BacteriaBlood Component TransfusionBlood SafetyTransfusion MedicineBlood PlateletsCroatiaHumansQuality Controlbacterial contaminationbacterial screeningblood components

Identifiers

PMID41485768
PMCPMC12982005

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.