Observations placeholder
Healing blood borne disease using Riboflavin
Identifier
027367
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Vitamin B2 as a pathogen remover
Blood transfusion has been a continuous source of unforeseeable threats with the emergence and re-emergence of blood-borne pathogens. Pathogen reduction (PR) is a proactive strategy to mitigate the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. PR technologies for the treatment of single plasma units and platelet concentrates are commercially available and have been successfully implemented in more than 2 dozen countries worldwide. Ideally, all labile blood components should be PR treated to ensure a safe and sustainable blood supply in accordance with regional transfusion best practices.
But recently, a device known as Mirasol® Pathogen Reduction Technology System for PR treatment of whole blood, which uses riboflavin and UV light has received CE marking, a significant step forward in realising blood safety.
Given that considerable disease stems from pathogens that use the blood supply as their means of spreading, this technology also offers hope as a means of actually curing disease. A great number of cancers, for example, are caused by pathogens; and chemotherapy which destroys the cancerous cells only serves to release the pathogens into the blood supply where they spread elsewhere. Mirasol may be able to prevent this spread.
A description of the experience
Blood Transfus. 2017 Jul; 15(4): 357–364.
Prepublished online 2017 May 11. doi: 10.2450/2017.0320-16
PMCID: PMC5490732
PMID: 28665269
Improving the safety of whole blood-derived transfusion products with a riboflavin-based pathogen reduction technology
Susan Yonemura,1 Suzann Doane,1 Shawn Keil,1 Raymond Goodrich,1,2 Heather Pidcoke,1 and Marcia Cardoso3
Worldwide safety of blood has been positively impacted by technological, economic and social improvements; nevertheless, growing socio-political changes of contemporary society together with environmental changes challenge the practice of blood transfusion with a continuous source of unforeseeable threats with the emergence and re-emergence of blood-borne pathogens. Pathogen reduction (PR) is a proactive strategy to mitigate the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. PR technologies for the treatment of single plasma units and platelet concentrates are commercially available and have been successfully implemented in more than 2 dozen countries worldwide. Ideally, all labile blood components should be PR treated to ensure a safe and sustainable blood supply in accordance with regional transfusion best practices. Recently, a device (Mirasol® Pathogen Reduction Technology System) for PR treatment of whole blood using riboflavin and UV light has received CE marking, a significant step forward in realising blood safety where WB transfusion is the norm, such as in sub-Saharan Africa and in far-forward combat situations. There is also keen interest in the ability to derive components from Mirasol®-treated whole blood, as it is seen as a more efficient and economical means to implement universal PR in the blood centre environment than treatment of components with different PR systems.
Keywords: transfusion medicine, blood safety, bloodborne pathogens, emerging infectious diseases