CMV can cause BIG problems in certain susceptible transfusion recipients, but people disagree on prevention. Dr. John Roback has spent years at the heart of the debate, and he's here to help!

NOTE: Continuing Education credit for this episode has expired. See below for details.

About My Guest:

Dr. John Roback is a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine for both his MD and PhD. He is a Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where he is medical director of the Emory University Blood Bank and the Emory Medical Laboratories. He is also Director of the Emory Center for Transfusion and Cellular Therapy.

Dr. Roback, in addition to serving as editor-in-chief of the 16th and 17th editions of the AABB Technical Manual, has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters, including several on the TT-CMV issue discussed in this podcast. His research focuses primarily on improving the safety and efficacy of blood transfusion and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. He received the prestigious "President's Award" from AABB at the 2017 Annual Meeting.

Continuing Education Expired

This podcast episode offered continuing education credit for two years from its release date, but is no longer eligible for such credit.

To find Blood Bank Guy Essentials Podcast episodes with active continuing education opportunities, Click here or visit Transfusion News Continuing Education on Wiley Health Learning.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this episode are those of my guest and I alone, and do not reflect those of the organizations with which either of us is affiliated. Neither Dr. Roback nor I have any relevant financial disclosures.

The images below are ©2013, Wiley Publishing (used with permission of Wiley Publishing and Dr. Roback). Please do not reproduce without permission from Wiley Publishing.

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Further Reading:

• AABB Committee Report on TT-CMV: AABB Clinical Transfusion Committee et al. AABB Committee Report: Reducing Transfusion-transmitted Cytomegalovirus Infections. Transfusion 2016;56:1581-1587.
• The classic "Bowden Study" on LR vs. CMV serology: Bowden RA et al. A Comparison of Filtered Leukocyte-Reduced and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Seronegative Blood Products for the Prevention of Transfusion-Associated CMV Infection After Marrow Transplant. Blood 1995;86(9):3598-3603.
• Landmark study Dr. Roback discussed showing post-natal CMV infection is usually from breast milk rather than blood: Josephson CD et al. Blood Transfusion and Breast Milk Transmission of Cytomegalovirus in Very Low Birth Weight Infants. JAMA Pediatr 2014;168(11):1054–1062.
• Excellent editorial by Drs Roback and Josephson outlining new thoughts about TT-CMV prevention: Roback JD and Josephson CD. New insights for preventing transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus and other white blood cell–associated viral infections. Transfusion 2013;53:2112-2116.
• Article describing the "one-year CMV-positive" donor strategy: Ziemann M et al. High prevalence of cytomegalovirus DNA in plasma samples of blood donors in connection with seroconversion. Transfusion 2007;47:1972-1983.
• Article describing "window-period" TT-CMV: Ziemann M et al. Window period donations during primary cytomegalovirus infection and risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. Transfusion 2013;53:1088-1094.
• Article on effectiveness of LR for TT-CMV prevention: Thiele T et al. Transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by leukoreduced blood products not tested for CMV antibodies: a single-center prospective study in high-risk patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Transfusion 2011;51:2620-2626.