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Hepatitis E virus RNA in Australian blood donations
Author(s) -
Shrestha Ashish C.,
Flower Robert L.P.,
Seed Clive R.,
Keller Anthony J.,
Harley Robert,
Chan HiuTat,
Hoad Veronica,
Warrilow David,
Northill Judith,
Holmberg Jerry A.,
Faddy Helen M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/trf.13799
Subject(s) - hepatitis e virus , virology , hepatitis e , seroprevalence , genotype , biology , medicine , serology , immunology , antibody , genetics , gene
BACKGROUND Hepatitis E virus (HEV) poses a risk to transfusion safety. In Australia, locally acquired HEV is rare and cases are mainly reported in travelers returning from countries endemic for HEV. The risk posed by HEV to transfusion safety in Australia is unknown; therefore, we aimed to measure the rate of current HEV infection in Australian blood donations. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 14,799 blood donations were tested for HEV RNA by transcription‐mediated amplification, with confirmatory testing by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Viral load quantification and phylogenetic analysis was performed on HEV RNA–positive samples. RESULTS One (0.0068%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0002%‐0.0376%) sample was confirmed positive for HEV RNA, resulting in a risk of collecting a HEV‐viremic donation of 1 in 14,799 (95% CI, 1 in 584,530 to 1 in 2,657). The viral load in this sample was approximately 15,000 IU/mL, and it was determined to be Genotype 3. DISCUSSION Our finding of 1 in 14,799 Australian donations positive for HEV RNA is lower than that from many other developed countries; this is consistent with the relatively low seroprevalence in Australia. As this HEV RNA–positive sample was Genotype 3, it seems likely that this infection was acquired through zoonotic transmission, either within Australia or overseas in a developed nation. HEV has the potential to pose a risk to transfusion safety in Australia; however, additional, larger studies are required to quantify the magnitude of this risk.