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Post-Transplant Events

Microbial contamination of hematopoietic progenitor cell products: clinical outcome

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 40, pages 365–368 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

We reviewed the results of routine microbiological assays of 3078 infused hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) products for autologous and allogeneic transplantation between January 2001 and December 2005. Thirty-seven (1.2%) contaminated products were found. All patients receiving contaminated infusions received empirical antibiotic prophylaxis according to the assay result. None of these patients developed a positive blood culture with the same agent, developed infections that could be attributable to the contaminated product or experienced any clinical sequelae. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was found in 32 (86.5%) products. Admission lengths and time to engraftment were within the expected time frame for autologous and allogeneic transplants. Microbial contamination of HPC products occurs at a low frequency; prophylactic use of antibiotics based on the microbiological assay appears to be effective in preventing clinical complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    P A Patah, S Parmar, J McMannis, T Sadeghi, S Karandish, G Rondon, R Champlin, M de Lima & E J Shpall

  2. Department of Laboratorial Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    J Tarrand

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  1. P A Patah
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  2. S Parmar
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  3. J McMannis
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  4. T Sadeghi
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  5. S Karandish
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  6. G Rondon
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  7. J Tarrand
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  8. R Champlin
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  9. M de Lima
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  10. E J Shpall
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Correspondence to E J Shpall.

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Patah, P., Parmar, S., McMannis, J. et al. Microbial contamination of hematopoietic progenitor cell products: clinical outcome. Bone Marrow Transplant 40, 365–368 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705731

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705731

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