Korean J Blood Transfus.  2010 Apr;21(1):65-73.

Reduction of Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Through a Leukoreduction Filter

• Cho GE
• Kim JH
• Suh IB

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Leukoreduction can reduce the risk of HLA alloimmunization, recurrent febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions, and several transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases, including cytomegalovirus infection. Transmission of the new influenza A (H1N1) virus through transfusion may be a concern. We evaluated the effect of filtration with a leukoreduction filter on H1N1 genomes.
METHODS
To evaluate the effect of filtration by a leukoreduction filter on H1N1 genomes, we analyzed pre- and post-filtered samples from nasopharyngeal swabs and 10 positive plasma samples using real time RT-PCR.
RESULTS
The 10 samples (nasopharyngeal swabs and plasma) contained H1N1 RNA, and filtration with a leukoreduction filter reduced these levels (threshold cycle values from 31.42+/-2.06 to 38.84+/-1.47 in nasopharyngeal swabs, from 35.63+/-2.19 to 39.38+/-2.65 in plasma samples).
CONCLUSION
Filtration with a leukoreduction filter can reduce H1N1 genome levels, but may not be completely sufficient for total eradication of this pathogen.

Keyword

New influenza A (H1N1) virus; RNA; Filter; Leukoreduction; Transfusion

MeSH Terms

Blood Group Incompatibility
Communicable Diseases
Cytomegalovirus Infections
Filtration
Genome
Influenza, Human
Plasma
RNA
Viruses
RNA