Hepatitis E virus infection in Thai blood donors

BACKGROUND Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in several industrialized and developing countries is associated with the consumption of pork and other meat products, an exposure risk among the majority of blood donors. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HEV in plasma from healthy blood donors in T...

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Published in:Transfusion (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2019-03, Vol.59 (3), p.1035-1043
Main Authors: Intharasongkroh, Duangnapa, Thongmee, Thanunrat, Sa‐nguanmoo, Pattaratida, Klinfueng, Sirapa, Duang‐in, Ausanee, Wasitthankasem, Rujipat, Theamboonlers, Apiradee, Charoonruangrit, Ubonwon, Oota, Sineenart, Payungporn, Sunchai, Vongpunsawad, Sompong, Chirathaworn, Chintana, Poovorawan, Yong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibodies
Blood
Blood & organ donations
Blood donors
Developing countries
Genotypes
Genotyping
Hepatitis
Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulin M
Immunoglobulins
Infections
LDCs
Meat
Meat products
Phylogeny
Polymerase chain reaction
Pork
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
Viruses
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Summary:BACKGROUND Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in several industrialized and developing countries is associated with the consumption of pork and other meat products, an exposure risk among the majority of blood donors. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HEV in plasma from healthy blood donors in Thailand. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We screened blood samples collected between October and December 2015, from 30,115 individual blood donors in 5020 pools of six, for HEV RNA using in‐house real‐time reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Thrice‐reactive samples were subjected to a commercial real‐time RT‐PCR (cobas HEV test) and evaluated for anti‐HEV immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies. Genotyping using nested RT‐PCR, nucleotide sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis was performed. RESULTS Twenty‐six donors were positive for HEV RNA by the in‐house assay, nine of whom were also positive by cobas test. None of the latter were reactive for anti‐HEV immunoglobulin M or immunoglobulin G antibodies. Six samples were successfully genotyped and found to be HEV genotype 3. Thus, the frequency of HEV infection among healthy Thai blood donors is 1 in 1158. CONCLUSION The presence of HEV RNA in the Thai blood supply was comparable to the rates reported in western European countries, but higher than in North America and Australia.
ISSN:0041-1132
1537-2995
DOI:10.1111/trf.15041