Zika Virus Threats to Donated Blood Supplies

"The results of this study, that evaluated 17 Zika virus assays in 11 laboratories and documented excellent sensitivity of the two donor screening assays manufactured by Roche and Grifols, were critical to support the decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] and blood industry to implement investigational screening of donors in Puerto Rico in April 2016 and the entire U.S. by the end of 2016", said Dr. Michael Busch, senior author of the study. "Given the sensitivity of these assays, the FDA approved clinical trials using individual donation screening and rescinded earlier policies precluding transfusion of blood collected in Puerto Rico and deferral from donation by donors who had travelled to Zika risk countries throughout the U.S. This screening has detected over 350 infected blood donations in Puerto Rico and dozens of infected donations in the continental U.S."

The research is published in Transfusion and is part of a special "Themed Issue" that focuses on Zika virus.

"As the papers in this issue illustrate, building on experience with prior emerging infectious diseases, much has been learned in the relatively brief period of a year both about the nature of the virus and its epidemiology. This knowledge is invaluable as we refine the response to this epidemic," wrote the authors of the editorial. "However, in addition to uncertainty regarding whether Zika virus will spread further or become endemic in some areas, there is also much that remains unknown about the complications of infection itself."

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170328/Research-highlights-threat-of-Zika-virus-to-donated-blood-supplies-in-the-US.aspx