Prion protein and the red cell.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review focuses on transfusion-transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by red cell preparations.

RECENT FINDINGS: Recently, three cases of probable transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob infectivity by transfusion of red cell preparations have been described in humans. Experiments on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies affecting rodents have led to the conclusion that infectivity in red cell preparations is not bound to the red cells themselves but contained within the suspending medium from which it can be removed by filtration.

SUMMARY: Red cell preparations are the main transfusion product provided by blood services. If experiments demonstrating significant removal of rodent transmissible spongiform encephalopathy infections by filtration of red cell preparations are applicable to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob in humans then a method for rendering human red cell preparations safe for transfusion is provided.