Dear Sir:
In a recent issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Drs. Ali and Kadaru1 proposed adding sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) as an anti-malaria preventative to donated blood to prevent transfusion-associated malaria. This practice is against the worldwide prescribed practice of blood donation. The AABB standards for blood banks and transfusion services2 stated that “with the exception of 0.9% sodium chloride (USP), drugs or medications shall not be added to blood or components unless one of the following conditions is met: 1) they have been approved for this use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); 2) there is documentation available to show that the addition is safe and does not adversely affect the blood or component.” This study does not show that SP is either approved for addition to donated blood or that it is safe to give it mixed with blood. Previously, the malaria parasite has shown the development of drug resistance against SP.3 Use of SP in every unit of blood donation in the malaria endemic areas will spread this resistance. Better screening tests may be the best solution to prevent transfusion-associated malaria infection by the same group.4
REFERENCES
- 1↑
Ali MSM, Kadaru AGMY, 2005. In vitro processing for donor blood with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for eradication of transfusion-induced malaria. Am J Trop Med Hyg 73 :1119–1123.
- 2↑
AABB Standards for Blood and Transfusion Services, 2004. Addition of Drugs and Solutions: 5.19.10. Bethesda, MD; AABB.
- 3↑
Wongsrichanalai C, Pickard AL, Wernsdorger WH, Meshnick SR, 2002. Epidemiology of drug resistance malaria. Lancet Infect Dis 2 :209–218.
- 4↑
Ali MS, Yousif AG, Moustafa MS, Ibrahim MH, 2005. Evaluation of malaria parasite screening procedures among Sudanese blood donors. Clin Lab Sci 18 :69–73.