What viral infection can occur as a complication of blood transfusion?

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can be transmitted through blood transfusions, particularly before the implementation of effective screening methods. The virus is primarily spread through direct blood-to-blood contact, making contaminated blood products a significant risk factor for transmission. Blood transfusions, especially prior to the 1990s when routine screening for Hepatitis C became standard, were a common route for the spread of this virus.

Hepatitis C is notable for its potential to lead to chronic infection, which can progress to serious liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The virus is an RNA virus and belongs to the Flaviviridae family. Because the risk of hepatitis C transmission through transfusions exists, blood banks take considerable precautions to screen for this virus to ensure the safety of the blood supply.

In contrast, while Hepatitis A can be transmitted through contaminated blood, it is more commonly associated with fecal-oral transmission and is usually not a transfusion-transmitted disease. Hepatitis B, although it can be transmitted through blood, is less frequently a complication of transfusions in modern practice due to widespread vaccination and screening. Hepatitis D requires the presence of Hepatitis B for infection, making it less relevant in the context