Risk for Transmission of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus by Blood Transfusion

DOI: 10.3201/eid1604.091795
Suggested citation for this article: Matsumoto C, Sobata R, Uchida S, Hidaka T, Momose S, Hino S, et al. Risk for transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus by blood transfusion [letter]. Emerg Infect Dis. 2010 Apr; [Epub ahead of print]

Risk for Transmission of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus by Blood Transfusion

To the Editor: Influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus emerged in early 2009 in Mexico and has since spread worldwide. In Japan, the first outbreak of the novel influenza was reported in May 2009 (1) and became pandemic in November. Although no cases of transfusion-transmitted influenza have been published, evidence exists of brief viremia before onset of symptoms (2,3). The possibility of transmission of this virus through transfusion of donated blood is of concern. The Japanese Red Cross Blood Centers have intercepted blood products with accompanying postdonation information indicating possible pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection and attempted to identify the viral genome in those products by using nucleic acid amplification technology (NAT).

During June–November 2009, blood samples were collected from plasma and erythrocyte products that had been processed from donations; postdonation information indicated diagnosis of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection soon after donation. Viral RNA was extracted from plasma samples and erythrocyte fractions by using a QIAamp Virus Biorobot MDx kit (QIAGEN, Valencia, CA, USA) and a High Pure Viral Nucleic Acid Large Volume kit (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA), respectively. RNA samples were subjected to real-time reverse...
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