Australian Red Cross Blood Service

Pathogen reduction or inactivation is a process that attempts to permanently reduce or remove the ability of blood-borne pathogens to replicate. It decreases the risk of transfusion-transmitted infection.

Existing technologies involve the use of detergents or dyes, hence, are limited in the final manufacturing process for plasma-derived blood products.

There is considerable interest in pathogen inactivation of other blood components, including red cells and platelets.

Newer pathogen reduction technologies are not limited to plasma and involve the irradiation of processed blood product with ultra-violet light, with or without the addition of photosensitising agents.

This technology has potential to augment existing approaches to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission, or perhaps replace some of them.

Pathogen reduction technologies appear to hold great potential to ensure that the blood supply is safe from blood-borne pathogens by providing a fundamentally different approach to risk management.

We are currently undertaking research and development projects and technology evaluations to ensure readiness to implement pathogen reduction technologies.