title: Virus inactivation in bone tissue transplants (femoral heads) by moist heat with the 'Marburg bone bank system'.
abstract: Several virus inactivation procedures like heat treatment, gamma irradiation and chemical sterilization are used to increase the safety of bone tissue transplants. In this study we present data on the virus-inactivating effect of heat disinfection on human femoral heads, using the Marburg bone bank system 'Lobator sd-2'. Three enveloped viruses (human immunodeficiency virus type 2 [HIV-2], bovine viral diarrhoea virus as a model for Hepatitis C virus [HCV], and the herpesvirus pseudorabies virus), and three non-enveloped viruses (hepatitis A virus, poliomyelitis virus, and bovine parvovirus) were investigated. In a model system the central part of human femoral heads was contaminated with the respective cell-free virus suspension, establishing a direct contact between virus and native bone tissue. The core temperature in the femoral heads during the sterilization process was determined in additional model experiments. A temperature of 82.5 degrees C, given by the manufacturer as the effective temperature for virus inactivation, was maintained for at least 15 min in decartilaged femoral heads with a diameter of < or = 56 mm. Heat treatment using the Lobator sd-2 inactivated all viruses in human femoral heads below the detection limit (at least by a factor of > or =4 log(10)). By combining a well-focussed anamnesis of the donors and serological testing for relevant infection markers (anti-HIV-1/2, HBsAg, anti-HBcore, anti-HCV, TPHA) with heat treatment of femoral heads in the Lobator sd-2 system, a high safety level is achieved. To further increase virus safety of cadaveric bone transplants, it is recommended that multi-organ donors are tested by nucleic acid testing (i.e. polymerase chain reaction) for HIV, HBV and HCV genome.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine (Tissue Bank), University Hospital Charité, CCM, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117, Berlin, Germany. axel.pruss@charite.de
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pruss
authors.forename: Moujahed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Garrel
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frommelt
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gürtler
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benedix
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pauli
mesh_terms: D005269:Femur / Q000821:virology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D014015:Tissue Banks; D038301:Virus Inactivation