Characterization of posttransfusion Plasmodium falciparum infection in semi-immune nonparasitemic patients.

Background: Transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) has not been studied with molecular means in hyperendemic areas where it is assumed to occur frequently. The African Investigation of the Mirasol System (AIMS) trial provided the opportunity to study TTM from standard whole blood (WB) units.

Study Design And Methods: The Plasmodium genome in transfused WB units and patient samples both before transfusion and 1, 3, 7, and 28 days after transfusion was screened and quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction.