title: Hepatitis A virus infection in tamarins: experimental transmission via contaminated factor VIII concentrates.
abstract: An experimental hepatitis A virus (HAV) transmission study was performed in 3 tamarins, using a factor VIII concentrate linked to a recent outbreak of HAV infections in German hemophiliacs. The typical indicators for HAV infection were investigated in feces and serum samples. One tamarin showed a classical HAV infection with seroconversion. HAV antigen and HAV RNA were detected in feces of a second animal, but no seroconversion was observed until 19 weeks after inoculation. The HAV sequences from the reverse-transcription- and polymerase chain reaction-positive samples of the 2 animals were identical to the deduced HAV sequences of the chain of infection (from plasma pool to final product to patients). The study results provide conclusive evidence of the presence of infectious HAV in coagulation factor concentrate. Because a number of HAV transmission episodes have been described for solely solvent/detergent-treated factor VIII preparations, continued use of these agents seems questionable.
authors.affiliation: Division of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Strasse 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany. chumi@pei.de
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chudy
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stahl-Hennig
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: C Micha
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nübling
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hunsmann
authors.forename: Holger F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Rabenau
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Löwer
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D003902:Detergents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000592:standards*; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000635:transmission*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012452:Saguinus / Q000821:virology*; D012997:Solvents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013242:Sterilization
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012997:Solvents; D005169:Factor VIII; D000410:Alanine Transaminase