WHO Recommendations on SARS and Blood Safety

15 May 2003



These guidelines are constantly reviewed and updated, as new information becomes available. These are compiled to provide a generic basis on which national health authorities may wish to develop guidelines applicable to their own particular circumstances.



Although no probable SARS case has been ascribed to transmission by labile blood products or blood derivatives, there is a theoretical risk of transmission of the SARS virus through transfusion of labile blood products*, since low viraemia has been detected up to approximately 10 days after the onset of symptoms from probable SARS patients (see Identification of a Novel Coronavirus in Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

The Department of Blood Safety and Clinical Technology (WHO/BCT), World Health Organization, proposes the following recommendations as precautionary principles to address the theoretical SARS risk through transfusion of labile blood products.

These include:

Deferral of blood donations from donors in the categories listed.

The blood transfusion services (BTSs) to ask the blood donors who have donated blood, to report if diagnosed as suspect or probable SARS case within 1 month after blood donation and the BTSs to recall the blood products still not transfused.

For countries with existing systems and facilities to trace recipients of blood, to follow up the recipients who have received blood/blood products from the donors presenting within one month after donation fulfilling the probable case definition of SARS.

These recommendations may also be the basis of screening criteria for organs, tissues and cells for transplantation, taking into consideration that precautionary measures, in particular for travellers from areas with recent local transmission, need to be balanced with the benefit of transplantation for the patient. The BTSs staff should be aware of the recommendations for health care workers on prevention of SARS.



For a case definition of SARS, consult Case Definitions for Surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)



For viral inactivation procedures used in the manufacturing of plasma derived products



For full details about SARS