The American Red Cross continues to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), America’s Blood Centers (ABC), the Department of Defense (DoD) and the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) to track West Nile Virus (WNV) and mitigate its transmission by transfusion.

According to the CDC, the risk of contracting WNV by blood transfusion has become extremely small. In 2003, the American Red Cross and other blood collection agencies tested 6 million units of blood for WNV, keeping the components from at least 818 blood donations from entering the nation’s blood supply. These units were destroyed in order to protect hospital patients from potential transmission of the virus.

As the summer months approach, the American Red Cross is prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect America’s blood supply. Donor screening, along with the nucleic acid test (NAT) for WNV that is performed on units of blood collected, will help keep the blood supply safer today than ever before.

For more information on West Nile Virus, please visit the CDC web site at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm.

More information about West Nile Virus

Blood Safety