We are pleased to announce that as of 1 September 2026, the Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS) will be performing leucocyte reduction for all pooled platelet products. This is an important advancement for patient safety and aligns with international best practice. Leucocyte reduction makes pooled platelets better tolerated and reduces the risk of HLA alloimmunisation and platelet refractoriness, while also providing protection against some leucocyte-associated complications.
WCBS has for many years supplied four main types of platelet products for transfusion, namely:
- Single donor (apheresis) platelets – which are all leucocyte reduced.
- Paediatric and infant sized platelet products – which are all leucocyte reduced.
- Pooled platelets – which are not routinely leucocyte reduced.
- Pooled platelets – leucocyte reduced on request.
Due to production efficiencies and favourable prices of the leucocyte reduction filtration system, all platelet products will be leucocyte reduced from 1 September 2026 onwards.
Leucocyte reduction has the following advantages for patients:
- Reduces febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions (FNHTRs) by removing donor white blood cells and reducing exposure to accumulated cytokines.
- Reduces HLA alloimmunisation, thereby lowering the risk of platelet refractoriness and improving the likelihood of achieving adequate platelet increments with subsequent transfusions.
- Reduces transmission of leucocyte-associated infections, particularly CMV.
Clinicians are kindly requested to continue to indicate whether leucocyte-reduced products are required, or not, on the crossmatch request form until the end of 2026. The tariffs applied for the billing of patients will be aligned with the products requested.
Please contact Dr Gregory Bellairs (c 083 259 2119 | e Greg@wcbs.org.za) or Dr Caroline Hilton (c 082 372 3133 | e Caroline@wcbs.org.za) or Dr Thembie Sitsila (c 083 797 0879 | e Thembie.Sitsila@wcbs.org.za) if you have any queries.
