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Analysis of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-specific CD8+ T-cells in Rhesus Macaques by Peptide-MHC-I Tetramer Staining
Published on: December 23, 2016
Simian foamy virus infection in a blood donor
R S Boneva1, A J Grindon, S L Orton
1Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory Research, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. rboneva@cdc.gov
Background:
Infections with simian foamy virus (SFV) are widely prevalent in nonhuman primates. SFV infection was confirmed in a worker, occupationally exposed to nonhuman primates, who donated blood after the retrospectively documented date of infection. Human-to-human transmission of SFV through transfusion and its pathogenicity have not been studied.
Study Design And Methods:
Recipients of blood from this donor were identified and blood samples from such recipients were tested for SFV infection by Western blot and PCR assay.
Results:
One recipient of RBCs and another recipient of FFP had died; retroviral infections were not implicated. One platelet recipient could not be tested. Recipients of RBCs (two), a WBC-reduced RBC unit (one), and a platelet unit (one) tested SFV-negative 19 months to 7 years after transfusion. Tested recipients had transfusions 3 to 35 days after blood donation. Samples of one lot of albumin and three lots of plasma protein fraction (manufactured from recovered plasma from two donations) tested negative both for antibodies and for viral RNA.
Conclusion:
SFV transmission through transfusion was not identified among four recipients of cellular blood components from one SFV-infected donor. Derivatives containing plasma from that donor tested negative for SFV.
Insights
Simian foamy virus (SFV) transmission via blood transfusion was not detected in recipients from an infected donor. Further analysis confirmed SFV was absent in plasma-derived products, indicating low transfusion risk.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Simian foamy virus (SFV) infections are common in nonhuman primates.
- An occupationally exposed primate worker was confirmed to have SFV infection.
- The potential for SFV transmission through blood transfusion and its effects in humans remain unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the risk of simian foamy virus (SFV) transmission through blood transfusion.
- To determine if SFV can be transmitted from an infected human donor to blood recipients.
- To assess the presence of SFV in plasma-derived products from the infected donor.
Main Methods:
- Identified recipients of blood components from an SFV-infected donor.
- Tested blood samples from recipients using Western blot and PCR assays for SFV.
- Analyzed plasma-derived products (albumin, plasma protein fraction) for SFV antibodies and viral RNA.
Main Results:
- Four recipients of cellular blood components (RBCs, WBC-reduced RBCs, platelets) tested negative for SFV up to 7 years post-transfusion.
- Plasma-derived products manufactured from the donor's plasma tested negative for SFV.
- Two recipients had died from unrelated causes; one platelet recipient was unavailable for testing.
Conclusions:
- No evidence of SFV transmission was found among recipients of cellular blood products from an infected donor.
- Plasma derivatives from the infected donor did not transmit SFV.
- The study suggests a low risk of SFV transmission via blood transfusion.
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