HHS NEWS

P97-19                          Lenore Gelb:      301-443-3285 

July 3, 1997                    

                                Consumer Hotline: 800-532-4440





            RECALL OF BLOOD PRODUCTS IN SIX STATES 

              DUE TO RISK OF TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES 





     The Food and Drug Administration is advising the public

about a voluntary recall of certain blood products collected by

United Blood Services (UBS), also known as Blood Systems Inc.

(BSI) at the Fort Chafee, Arkansas military base.  The products

are being recalled as a precautionary measure because donors of

the products may have been exposed to a tick-borne disease which

theoretically may be transmitted through blood transfusions.

     Persons exposed to ticks at Fort Chafee between April and

September are advised against donating blood or plasma for four

weeks after leaving that area.     

     Some of the donors became ill 1-3 days after donating blood.

The exposed persons may have one of a number of infectious

diseases caused by ticks including ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain

Spotted Fever and possible borrelial infection. 

     All of these infections cause fever, as well as headache and

muscle pain and in some cases, a rash. The majority of infections

are asymptomatic or mild, but a small percentage can be serious

and even fatal.  Doxycycline or other antibiotics can be used 

effectively to treat the infection if treatment is started as 

soon as possible.

     The blood products involved in the recall were collected

during three separate blood drives this summer: May 29, June 11,

and June 25.  Some of the products that may have been distributed

before the problem was identified include red blood cells,

platelets and recovered plasma.  The following states may have

received the recalled blood products: Alabama, Arkansas,

Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas.  Approximately 700 

blood components may have been distributed before this recall was

initiated.  The recall involves products collected since April

1997 when the tick season started.

     Hospitals should immediately remove these recalled products

from inventory and return them to their local UBS blood center.  

Physicians of patients who received any of the recalled products

should be notified.  A "Dear Doctor" letter is available from UBS

to help advise physicians regarding patient treatment. Recipients

of the recalled blood products should be notified and told to

report any illnesses to their physicians. 

     Health professionals should report any adverse events

associated with these products to MedWatch, FDA's adverse

reporting program, at 1-800-FDA-1088 and to the company.  In

addition, questions regarding diagnosis or treatment can also be

directed to state health departments or the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention at 404-639-1075.

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