ADHERENCE OF SERRATIA-MARCESCENS, SERRATIA-LIQUEFACIENS, PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA AND STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS TO BLOOD-TRANSFUSION BAGS (CPD-SAGMAN SETS)

The adherence of 4 isolates of Serratia marcescens, 1 isolate of Serra tia liquefaciens, 1 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 2 of Staphylococcus epidermidis to blood transfusion sets (CPD-SAGMAN) consisting of bags and connecting tubing was tested. All strains adhered well to the con necting tubes (polyvinyl chloride) from the transfusion sets from 3 ma nufacturers. Three isolates from a Swedish outbreak of septicaemia ass ociated with contaminated blood bags showed greater adherence than an isolate from a urinary tract infection. There was no significant adher ence of S. marcescens to the blood bags. In general, there were no sig nificant differences in the adherence of a given isolate to the plasti cs from different manufacturers. Appropriate hygienic procedures for t he production of transfusion sets appear to be of greater importance t han differences in the plastic material as regards the incidence of tr ansfusion-related bacteremia.