In the vast majority of instances, blood transfusions are very safe, and the benefit far outweighs the risks. However, as with other forms of treatment, transfusions can bring about complications. Most of these are not serious and are easily controlled. Rarely, however, serious and potentially fatal complications may occur.
Infection Unless you donate blood to yourself, there is always a very slight risk that you could be infected by some organism.
AIDS The risk foremost in everyone's mind lately is the possibility of being infected with the HIV virus that can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). But the risk of getting AIDS from a transfusion is now so low—one in 225,000, and possibly lower—that it should have almost no effect on the decision to have a transfusion that is medically indicated.
Hepatitis The number-one infectious risk associated with transfusion is, and always has been, the serious infection of the liver called hepatitis. The risk has been markedly reduced in the past 15 years, decreasing from one in ten in the 1970s to one in 6,000 in 1993.
Other Infections Blood banks test for syphilis and HTLV I and II (HTLV I is a virus that may occasionally cause leukemia). Other infections are rarely transmitted.
