Written Question · S2W-01989 · Session 2
How many patients have been infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV) from contaminated blood products; what steps have been taken to eliminate t…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV) from contaminated blood products; what steps have been taken to eliminate the risk of CMV infection through such products; when the virus was first identified in Scotland, and how many patients were infected through contaminated products after that date.
The answer
Cytomegalovirus (CMV), whichis carried in the white blood cells, is very common in most communities and istransmitted by airborne spread. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Servicehas advised that the majority of patients who have evidence of CMV have notreceived transfusions and most will have had no symptoms. It is not possible tosay how many people will have been infected as a result of blood transfusion.
The CMV virus was describedmore than 30 years ago and will have been identified in Scotlandsoon after this. Details are not readily available of precisely when CMV wasfirst isolated in Scotland.
It has been standardpractice in the UK for many years to provide CMV antibody negativeblood for patients who are more likely than healthy individuals to become illif they are exposed to CMV. The introduction in 1998 of leucodepletion (removalof white cells) from all blood donations has reduced the risk of CMVtransmission from blood to a very low level.
The CMV virus was describedmore than 30 years ago and will have been identified in Scotlandsoon after this. Details are not readily available of precisely when CMV wasfirst isolated in Scotland.
It has been standardpractice in the UK for many years to provide CMV antibody negativeblood for patients who are more likely than healthy individuals to become illif they are exposed to CMV. The introduction in 1998 of leucodepletion (removalof white cells) from all blood donations has reduced the risk of CMVtransmission from blood to a very low level.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-01989 by reference.