Transfusion of plasma from a blood donor induced hepatitis E in Rhesus monkey.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is normally transmitted via the faeco-oral route. The possibility that the infection might be transmissible by blood has been suggested. Direct evidence of blood-borne transmission of hepatitis E infection is, however, absent.


METHODS
In this report, 10 ml of plasma obtained from a healthy, but hepatitis E viraemic, blood donor was transfused to a Rhesus monkey.


RESULTS
Acute hepatitis E developed following transfusion of blood from the hepatitis E viraemic donor. This was confirmed by virological, immunological, biochemical and histopathological data.


CONCLUSIONS
These results, combined with other epidemiological findings previously reported, indicate that transfusion-associated hepatitis E can occur. The risk of transfusion-associated HEV infection in endemic areas should be assessed and strategies developed to reduce it.
Xia
N-S
NS
Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Cell Biology and Tumor Cell Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China. nsxia@jingxian.xmu.edu.cn
Zhang
J
J
Zheng
Y-J
YJ
Ge
S-X
SX
Ye
X-Z
XZ
Ou
S-H
SH
D000818:Animals; D001782:Blood Donors; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014766:Viremia / Q000635:transmission