Successful removal of Chlamydia pneumoniae from plateletpheresis products collected using automated leukoreduction hemapheresis techniques.

Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) is an obligate intracellular pathogen associated with a variety of maladies. Best known for its involvement in community-acquired pneumonia outbreaks; the potential role of Cp in diverse illnesses is a topic of increasing interest and investigation. Previous studies suggested that white blood cells from normal blood donors harboring this agent may be eliminated through leukoreduction by filtration. Here we examine the ability and efficacy of apheresis-related leukoreduction for its effect on the carriage and potential infectivity of these organisms in the preparation of platelet products. Matched pre-apheresis peripheral blood (PB) samples and product samples obtained from healthy plateletpheresis donors were analyzed for the presence and potential infectivity of Cp organisms by direct smear inspection and tissue culture techniques. Antibody seroreactivity directed towards the organism was assessed using a solid phase immunoassay. Forty-eight percent of the donor blood samples exhibited elevated anti-Cp antibody titers (> or =200). Specimens from 31 (27%) and 34 (30%) of 115 plateletpheresis donors were positive for the presence of Cp organisms in their pre-apheresis PB samples when analyzed by direct smear examination and culture, respectively. Examination of the 115 post-leukodepleted plateletpheresis product samples revealed only two (1.7%) and one (0.009%) product(s) to be smear-positive and culture-positive, respectively. Certain plateletpheresis donors may harbor infectious Cp organisms in circulating WBC. Collections from such donors of apheresis platelet products using standard apheresis leukoreduction strategies appear successful in markedly decreasing or eliminating the organisms found in the final products.