Blood Transfusion Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Blood Transfusion, including details on blood donation, blood types, leukemia. | ||||||||
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Transmission of human herpesvirus 8 by blood transfusion.Hladik W, Dollard SC, Mermin J, Fowlkes AL, Downing R, Amin MM, Banage F, Nzaro E, Kataaha P, Dondero TJ, Pellett PE, Lackritz EM Global Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Program, National Center for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Entebbe, Uganda. BACKGROUND: Whether human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is transmissible by blood transfusion remains undetermined. We evaluated the risk of HHV-8 transmission by blood transfusion in Uganda, where HHV-8 is endemic. METHODS: We enrolled patients in Kampala, Uganda, who had received blood transfusions between December 2000 and October 2001. Pretransfusion and multiple post-transfusion blood specimens from up to nine visits over a 6-month period were tested for HHV-8 antibody. We calculated the excess risk of seroconversion over time among recipients of HHV-8-seropositive blood as compared with recipients of seronegative blood. RESULTS: Of the 1811 transfusion recipients enrolled, 991 were HHV-8-seronegative before transfusion and completed the requisite follow-up, 43% of whom received HHV-8-seropositive blood and 57% of whom received seronegative blood. HHV-8 seroconversion occurred in 41 of the 991 recipients. The risk of seroconversion was significantly higher among recipients of HHV-8-seropositive blood than among recipients of seronegative blood (excess risk, 2.8%; P<0.05), and the increase in risk was seen mainly among patients in whom seroconversion occurred 3 to 10 weeks after transfusion (excess risk, 2.7%; P=0.005), a result consistent with the transmission of the virus by transfusion. Blood units stored for up to 4 days were more often associated with seroconversion than those stored for more than 4 days (excess risk, 4.2%; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides strong evidence that HHV-8 is transmitted by blood transfusion. The risk may be diminished as the period of blood storage increases. Published 28 September 2006 in N Engl J Med, 355(13): 1331-8.
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