title: Prevalence of human parvovirus B19 and TT virus in a group of young haemophiliacs in South Africa.
abstract: A well recognized hazard of transfusion with blood or blood products is the acquisition of a viral infection. Parvovirus B19 and transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) are two of several non-enveloped viruses that may on rare occasions be present in coagulation factor concentrates. The prevalence of these viruses in the South African Haemophilia population has not previously been studied. Thirty-nine Haemophiliac children were investigated for evidence of parvovirus and TTV infection. 26 boys with Haemophilia A had been treated with cryoprecipitate or intermediate purity factor VIII, and 13 boys with Haemophilia B had received prothrombin complex concentrates. All the plasma products were prepared from South African donors and were virally inactivated by heat or solvent/detergent since 1992. A control group of 32 children who had not been transfused were also studied. IgG antibodies to B19 were present in 29 of the 39 patients (74%), 18/26 (69%) with Haemophilia A and 12 of the 13 (85%) with Haemophilia B. None of the patients was IgM antibody positive but two children were PCR positive for B19 DNA. Of the control children, 47% had IgG antibodies to B19, but none were IgM antibody or B19 DNA positive. TTV viral DNA was found in 10.2% of patients and in 9% of the control group. The results indicate that our locally produced plasma products are not a significant source of TTV transmitted infection but may contribute to infection by B19 parvovirus.
authors.affiliation: The University of Cape Town, Leukaemia Centre and the Department of Haematology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Karabus
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smuts
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kolia
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Van Rensburg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002836:Hemophilia B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D019371:Topography, Medical
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C025667:prothrombin complex concentrates; D005169:Factor VIII