It is critical to ensure that the full unit of packed red blood cells is transfused within 4 hours while providing a transfusion of packed red blood cells. Infusion periods of more than 4 hours increase the danger of bacterial growth. A unit of packed red blood cells should ideally be administered within 2 hours. However, if there is a need for longer infusion time, such as in cases where multiple units are required over a period of time or where donor blood is being used instead of banked blood, then the infusion time can be extended up to 10 hours. The decision to extend the infusion time must be made by the hospital staff responsible for the patient's care and not by the donor or volunteer who provided the blood. The reason for this is that the donor or volunteer may be able to sustain injury if they continue to provide blood when it is not needed. Additionally, there is a risk of transmitting infectious diseases through blood products that can be transmitted via contact with infected blood or body fluids. These include viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and bacteria such as parasites and fungi. Blood components must be handled properly during storage and transfusion. Components that have been frozen will likely deflate upon thawing. This allows for their assessment of quality and suitability for use. Frozen components can also be stored for up to 8 months before use.