Establishment of culture systems for Genotypes 3 and 4 hepatitis E virus (HEV) obtained from human blood and application of HEV inactivation using a pathogen reduction technology system.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that the hepatitis E virus (HEV) can be transmitted via blood transfusion, and the risk of HEV transmission via transfusion has become a major global concern. An HEV culture system for blood-derived HEV has been sought to obtain valuable knowledge of the virus and the risk of HEV infection through blood products. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We endeavored to establish an HEV culture system using RNA-positive blood specimens for Genotypes (G) 3 and 4 and applied this system to evaluate tissue culture infectious dose (TCID). We applied this method to investigate the potential of the Mirasol pathogen reduction technology (PRT) system (Terumo BCT) to inactivate live HEV in contaminated platelet samples (PLTs). PLTs were spiked with cultured HEV G3 or G4 and then treated with the Mirasol PRT system. PLTs were examined before and after the treatment for HEV load using TCID titration. RESULTS: We successfully established two strains for HEV production: the JRC-HE3 strain for G3 and the UA1 strain for G4. The Mirasol PRT system expressed more than 3 log inactivation for JRC-HE3 and more than 2 log inactivation for UA1. CONCLUSION: The Mirasol PRT system inactivated greater than 2 to 3 logs of live HEV in PLTs and can potentially be used to lower the possibility of blood-borne HEV transmission. The G3 and G4 HEV inocula identified in this study and the hepatoma cell culture system provide a new means to assess HEV infectious titer and to evaluate other pathogen reduction strategies.

No viremia of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was demonstrated in blood donors who had donated blood during the probable incubation period.

BACKGROUND: In the spring of 2009, the novel swine-origin influenza A (pandemic [H1N1] 2009) virus emerged and spread globally. Although no established cases of transfusion-transmitted influenza have been reported, the widespread outbreak of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 caused serious concern regarding the safety of blood products. The Japanese Red Cross Blood Centers have intercepted blood products with accompanying postdonation information indicating possible pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection. To study the risk of transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 by blood transfusion, we searched for the viral genome in such products using nucleic acid amplification technology. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Between June and December 2009, blood components were collected from 579 blood donors who were diagnosed as or strongly suspected of having pandemic (H1N1) 2009 within 7 days after donation. Viral RNA was extracted from plasma and red blood cell (RBC) products, and RNA samples were subjected to real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of the hemagglutinin and matrix genes of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus. RESULTS: A total of 565 plasma and 413 RBC products from the 579 blood donors were available. No viral RNA of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was detected in any of the blood samples from the 579 blood donors. CONCLUSION: No viremia of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was demonstrated in any of the 579 blood donors who had most likely donated blood during the incubation period. It is considered that the risk of transmitting pandemic (H1N1) 2009 by blood transfusion is extremely low.

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus proviral DNA not detected in blood samples donated in Japan.

The xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was first described as a novel human gammaretrovirus in prostate tumor tissues and was reported to be found in blood, suggesting the possibility of XMRV transmission via blood transfusion. The gag and env regions of the XMRV proviral DNA that were detected 1,030 blood samples collected from the greater Tokyo area were examined by real-time PCR analysis. However, XMRV infection was not found in the samples; this suggested that the risk of XMRV transmission via transfusion is very low in Japan.