What is the best strategy for the prevention of transfusion-transmitted malaria in sub-Saharan African countries where malaria is endemic?

Table 1 Summary of recommendations from published studies advocating the reduction of transfusion-transmitted malaria in malaria endemic areas

	Recommendation
Screening	Blood donation policies should incorporate malaria screening
Screening	Donors should be screened for malaria before donation
	Blood for neonates should be screened for malaria
Deferral/retention	All blood infected with malaria should be rejected
	Blood screened for malaria should be retained but marked negative or positive
Treating recipients or blood packs	Anti-malarials should be added to donated blood to eradicate parasite in vitro
	Photochemical inactivation of parasites with amotosalen and long-wavelength ultraviolet light in platelet and plasma components
	All neonates should be treated after every transfusion
	All recipients of malaria-infected blood should be treated for malaria
	Presumptive treatment for all recipients

ISSN: 1475-2875