Blood Transfusion Reactions

Abstract

Blood transfusion reaction/adverse transfusion reactions could be fatal/severe or mild, immediate or delayed, immunological or nonimmunological, and infectious or noninfectious, and attention is paid particularly to the incidence, possible causes and pathophysiology, clinical features, and management of each type with the aim of improving awareness and raising consciousness towards improving blood safety and judicious use of blood so as to forestall these blood transfusion reactions as much as possible. This chapter serves as a synopsis to adverse blood reactions, which are very common but apparently more often under-recognized and/or underreported particularly in developing countries. This should sharpen the consciousness of all health practitioners involved in blood transfusion services towards taking measures at preventing transfusion reactions right from donor selection up to the infusion of blood into the recipients.