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Analysis of current SARS‐CoV ‐2 infection in a large population of blood donors evidenced that RNAemia is rare in plasma
Author(s) -
Chaves Daniel Gonçalves,
Silva Malta Maria Clara Fernandes,
Souza Madeira Ferreira Boy Luciana,
Miranda Barbosa Aretuza,
Fonseca Cinthia Neves,
Ellen de Lima Torres Dayanne,
Patterson Nogueira Janaína,
Medeiros Moreira Hélinse,
Cristine Martineli Loureiro Flávia,
Vargas de Freitas Silva Jaciane,
Aparecida Ribeiro Maísa,
Guimarães Mourão Cioffi Júnia,
Lobato Martins Marina
Publication year - 2021
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.16406
Subject(s) - saliva , asymptomatic , medicine , viral load , transmission (telecommunications) , blood donations , population , blood transfusion , covid-19 , immunology , blood donor , whole blood , blood plasma , virology , virus , disease , environmental health , engineering , infectious disease (medical specialty) , electrical engineering
Background Transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 by asymptomatic individuals and by blood transfusion are important issues to understand to control the viral spread. In this work, we estimated the current SARS‐CoV‐2 infection rate in blood donors from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Study design and methods Saliva and blood samples were collected from 4103 blood donors from June 15 to September 30, 2020. Saliva samples were tested by real‐time RT‐PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2 in mini‐pools of four samples. Individual samples were tested for positive or inconclusive pools, and positive donors had their plasma tested. Results Twenty‐seven (0.66%) blood donors were positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 in their saliva, but their plasma was negative, except for one, who presented a high viral load in saliva and nasopharyngeal samples and RNAemia in the plasma close to the limit of detection. Fourteen (56%) positive blood donors reported mild symptoms related to COVID‐19 after donation, but the viral load levels were not statistically different between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Discussion Despite the measures taken by Blood Centers to avoid blood donors with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, asymptomatic or presymptomatic carriers are able to donate. The risk of the virus transmission by transfusion seems to be negligible since plasma RNAemia was seen at a very low level in only one (3.7%) of the positive donors, but other studies must be performed to confirm this finding.