Blood transfusions in high risk malaria zones could be made safer with new blood treatment technology.

Blood transfusions in high risk malaria zones could be made safer with new blood treatment technology.Patients, especially children, who undergo blood transfusions in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of transfusion-transmitted malaria. A new trial suggests that treating donated blood with a new technology that combines UV radiation and vitamin B is safe and could minimize the risk of malaria infection following blood transfusions. In many countries in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is endemic, a high proportion of the population carry the parasite but do not show any clinical symptoms. This is a serious concern when it comes to donated blood transfusions as it puts the recipients at high risk of infection if no blood treatment procedure is provided.