Contaminated blood, once again

1995/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

The blood used for transfusions is causing many headaches worldwide. Although the case of blood pollution detected in France is currently the most evident, cases have already begun to be known that can be as serious or more serious as this. One of the most serious could be the one detected in Pakistan, which has had to suspend almost all of the blood infiltrations in its hospitals.

Researchers at Aga Khan University have recently reported that hepatitis C viruses are infected with 6% of patients who have been hospitalized. Although they have not been able to find out what is the cause of the contamination, they consider that the economic cost of conducting the blood test can be one of the causes. The lack of means to conduct detailed blood tests in Pakistani hospitals means that only in exceptional cases are the basic safety conditions established by the International Health Organizations for all blood infiltrations met.