Is West Nile virus transmitted by blood transfusion?
A-2. On August 17 FDA issued an alert to blood banks and organizations to be vigilant in excluding individuals who may have early symptoms of West Nile virus from donating blood. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have asked that blood banks and others report any cases where a blood recipient develops West Nile virus for investigation of whether transfusion could have been involved. Such an investigation is now being conducted by CDC to determine whether blood transfusion or donor organs may have been a source for the possible West Nile virus cases in the current transplant recipients.
