New and Emerging Pathogens:
A Risk That
Current Safety Measures Cannot Eliminate
Even as new tests are implemented to protect the blood supply, additional microbial threats continue to be recognized. As each new threat is identified, a new test must be developed, approved, manufactured, and implemented.
| Identification
of New Viral Threats to the Blood Supply Over the Past Two Decades |
|||||
| Year | Virus | Associated Disease | |||
| 1980 | HTLV-1 | Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus-1 | Malignant lymphoproliferative disorders, neuropathy [20, 21] | ||
| 1982 | HTLV-2 | Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus-2 | |||
| 1983 | HIV-1 | Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 | AIDS | ||
| 1986 | HIV-2 | Human Immunodeficiency Virus-2 | |||
| 1986 | HDV | Hepatitis Delta Virus | Coinfection or superinfection of HBV [22] | ||
| 1989 | HCV | Hepatitis C Virus | Viral hepatitis [23] | ||
| 1990-91 | HEV | Hepatitis E Virus | Clinically similar to HAV infection [24, 25] | ||
| 1994-96 | HHV-8 | Human Herpes Virus-8 | Kaposi's sarcoma [26] | ||
| 1995-96 | HGV | Hepatitis G Virus (also called GBV-C) | Clinical importance uncertain, but may have role in fulminant hepatitis [27] | ||
| 1997 | TTV | New DNA virus named for patient | Clinical importance uncertain [28] | ||
| 1999 | SEN-V | New DNA virus | No disease association [29] | ||
| 2002 | BDV | Borna disease | Neuropsychiatric disorders [30] | ||
| 2002 | WNV | West Nile Virus | Dengue-like illness; encephalitis in severe cases | ||
| 2003 | SARS* | SARS virus (coronavirus variant) | Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (atypical pneumonia) | ||
* A potential new threat to the blood supply. SARS virus has been detected in the blood of patients with SARS [31].
Known pathogens emerging in new geographical areas
West Nile Virus (WNV) provides a notable example of the ability of pathogens
to migrate across continents and emerge as threats in new regions. Over
the last 40 years, WNV has caused sporadic outbreaks of human disease
in Europe. The most recent European outbreak in humans occurred in 1996-7
in Bucharest, Romania, and involved more than 500 recorded cases, with
a fatality rate of ~10%. However, since 2002, a new strain of this virus
has spread rapidly through the United States, with 12,375 cases of human
WNV infection reported by February 18, 2003, and 466 associated deaths
[32]. Furthermore, as of April 2003,
it had been confirmed that 23 cases of WNV illness had developed in
patients as a result of infection from a blood transfusion or organ
transplant [33].
|
In pursuit of WNV. Sporadic outbreaks of the virus have occurred throughout central and southern Europe over the last 40 years. Most recently, a prominant outbreak of the virus began in the United States in 1999. Confirmation that WNV could be transmitted through blood was reported in the fall of 2002, and the first blood screening test was made available under an IND later in the summer of 2003. |
Benefits of the INTERCEPT Blood
System
The benefits of the INTERCEPT Blood System are particularly attractive
with respect to emerging pathogens, for which screening tests might not
be immediately available. The unique mechanism of action of this pathogen
inactivation system offers the potential to inactivate emerging pathogens
before they become a major transfusion risk for patients.
Blood
Safety section page 2 of 5 
Use of the INTERCEPT Blood System in the United States is limited by Federal law to investigational use. If you are a resident of the U.S., please click here.
The information on this site is not country-specific, and may contain information that is outside the approved indications for the country in which you are located. The INTERCEPT Blood System is CE marked for use with platelets and plasma.
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