Blood irradiators-why irradiate blood?

[ad198@yfn.ysu.edu (Carl Landis)]

Dear Gary and others,

Gary Mansfield asked why blood is irradiated.  Unless you were
involved with it you might wonder why also!  It is done to kill
the white cells.  This helps prevent graft versus host disease
(GVHD) in the person into which the blood or blood product is
transfused.  Said person's body could reject the product if there
were viable white cells.  

Hope this is helpful!

Carl Landis
ad198@Yfn.ysu.edu