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Coronavirus Disease 2019: Coronaviruses and Blood Safety
Le Chang1, Ying Yan1, Lunan Wang2
1National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology; Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Laboratory Medicine, Beijing Hospital, PR China.
Insights
Coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2 can potentially transmit through blood products, posing a risk to blood safety, especially with asymptomatic infections. Pathogen inactivation methods are being explored to mitigate this risk.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19, alongside SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, highlights the threat of beta-coronaviruses.
- Coronaviruses typically cause respiratory illness but can be found in blood, raising concerns about transfusion-transmitted infections.
- The increasing identification of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases necessitates a thorough evaluation of blood safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence on the transmission of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 via blood products.
- To discuss the implications for blood safety in areas endemic for these coronaviruses.
- To explore available pathogen inactivation methods for coronaviruses in blood products.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on coronavirus transmission through blood products.
- Analysis of viral shedding data in plasma and serum for SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2.
- Review of pathogen inactivation technologies applicable to coronaviruses.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests a theoretical risk of coronavirus transmission through labile blood products.
- Viral shedding in plasma/serum is common across different beta-coronaviruses.
- Asymptomatic infections increase the complexity of ensuring blood safety.
Conclusions:
- Transfusion of blood products carries a theoretical risk of coronavirus transmission.
- Blood safety considerations are crucial, particularly in endemic regions with high rates of asymptomatic infections.
- Pathogen inactivation technologies offer potential solutions for mitigating viral transmission risks in blood products.
Abstract:
With the outbreak of unknown pneumonia in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, a new coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), aroused the attention of the entire world. The current outbreak of infections with SARS-CoV-2 is termed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 in China as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Two other coronavirus infections-SARS in 2002-2003 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012-both caused severe respiratory syndrome in humans. All 3 of these emerging infectious diseases leading to a global spread are caused by β-coronaviruses. Although coronaviruses usually infect the upper or lower respiratory tract, viral shedding in plasma or serum is common. Therefore, there is still a theoretical risk of transmission of coronaviruses through the transfusion of labile blood products. Because more and more asymptomatic infections are being found among COVID-19 cases, considerations of blood safety and coronaviruses have arisen especially in endemic areas. In this review, we detail current evidence and understanding of the transmission of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 through blood products as of February 10, 2020, and also discuss pathogen inactivation methods on coronaviruses.
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