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Hepatitis E virus in donor plasma collected in Japan
Author(s) -
Minagi T.,
Okamoto H.,
Ikegawa M.,
Ideno S.,
Takahashi K.,
Sakai K.,
Hagiwara K.,
Yunoki M.,
Wakisaka A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/vox.12425
Subject(s) - hepatitis e virus , genotype , virology , seroprevalence , nucleic acid test , rna , biology , viral load , virus , antibody , serology , medicine , immunology , gene , covid-19 , genetics , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background and objectives Human hepatitis E virus ( HEV ) is prevalent worldwide. Iatrogenic HEV has recently been identified based on the reports of transfusion‐transmitted cases. The detection rate of HEV ‐ RNA and seroprevalence of HEV ‐IgG/IgM have been regionally evaluated in Japan, and donor plasma collected in Hokkaido is currently screened by nucleic acid amplification testing. However, the detection rate of HEV ‐ RNA in blood donors in Japan outside of Hokkaido has not been reported. Materials and Methods A total of 620 140 qualified donor plasma samples from Japanese regions excluding Hokkaido were tested for HEV ‐ RNA (pools of 50 or 500) between 2004 and 2014. HEV ‐ RNA ‐positive plasma bags were identified, and the HEV viral load, genotype and anti‐ HEV immunoglobulin (Ig)G/IgM were evaluated. Results The detection rate of HEV ‐ RNA (pools of 50) was 1/15 075 and higher in eastern than in western Japan. All 36 HEV ‐ RNA ‐positive samples were genotype 3 with viral load ranging from <1·69 to 7·22 log10 copies/ml. Conclusions Our detection rate of HEV ‐ RNA in donor populations in Japan outside Hokkaido (1/15 075 donations) is generally lower than reported in Europe and lower than previously reported for Hokkaido (1/8173 donations). As methods varied, we cannot exclude that these differences are reflective of differing RNA detection limits. In contrast to Hokkaido where genotype 4 has been reported among blood donations, all our positive donations were genotype 3, which is less pathogenic.