Albumin batches and B19 parvovirus DNA.
BACKGROUND
B19 parvovirus (B19) may be transmitted iatrogenically by blood, and its prevalence in blood donations is estimated at 1 in 3,300 to 1 in 50,000. As a large number of blood donations make up the plasma pools used to produce plasma derivatives, even a virus as rare as B19 in a population of blood donors may result in the frequent contamination of plasma batches. The percentage of albumin batches containing B19 DNA has never been determined.


METHODS
The presence of B19 DNA was investigated by a polymerase chain reaction assay (with a primer pair in the VP1 region) in a total of 12 and 17 batches of 4- and 20-percent albumin, respectively, from two different manufacturers.


RESULTS
No B19 DNA was detected in the batches tested.


CONCLUSIONS
The current fractionation process used to obtain these albumin preparations is seen to allow the efficient degradation and/or elimination of B19.
Lefrère
J J
JJ
Institut National de Transfusion Sanguine, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France.
Mariotti
M
M
De la Croix
I
I
Lerable
J
J
Thauvin
M
M
Burnouf
T
T
Folléa
G
G
D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004340:Drug Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012709:Serum Albumin