Blood products are tested for which virus before being transfused to newborns?

Testing blood products for Cytomegalovirus (CMV) before transfusion to newborns is crucial because CMV can be particularly detrimental to this vulnerable population. While CMV infection may be asymptomatic in healthy adults, it poses serious risks to infants, especially those who are premature or have low birth weight.

Transfusions can transmit CMV, which can lead to various complications, including life-threatening infections, neurological deficits, and other forms of organ damage in newborns. Therefore, blood products intended for transfusion in this demographic are often screened or leukoreduced to eliminate any potential CMV presence.

Although other viruses like EBV, HTLV-II, and Hepatitis D virus are significant in different contexts, they are not the primary concern when it comes to the risk associated with blood product transfusions in newborns compared to CMV. This specific focus to protect newborns is why the testing for CMV is critical in this setting.