Inactivation of dengue virus in plasma with amotosalen and ultraviolet A illumination.
BACKGROUND
Dengue virus (DENV) is the most prevalent arbovirus in tropical and subtropical regions. Transfusion-transmitted DENV infections have already been reported and the risk for blood products to be contaminated by DENV needs to be considered in dengue-endemic areas, especially during outbreaks. Blood product inactivation processes, including amotosalen and ultraviolet A (UVA) illumination, have been developed to reduce transfusion-transmitted infections. In this study we demonstrate the efficiency of using amotosalen and UVA illumination for DENV inactivation in human plasma.


METHODS
Plasma units from volunteer blood donors were spiked with DENV. Viral titers and viral RNA loads were measured in plasma before and after amotosalen and UVA photochemical treatment.


RESULTS
The mean DENV titer in plasma before inactivation was 5.61 log 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50)/mL and the mean viral RNA load was 10.21 log copies/mL. In inactivated plasma, the mean DENV RNA load was 9.37 log copies/mL, but cell cultures inoculated with inactivated plasma did not result in infected cells and did not produce any replicative virus nor detectable viral RNA.


CONCLUSIONS
We report here that amotosalen combined with UVA light inactivated DENV in fresh-frozen plasma (5.61 log inactivation of viral titer). This inactivation process is an efficient method to prevent plasma transfusion-transmitted DENV infections.
Pôle de Recherche et de Veille sur les Maladies Infectieuses Émergentes, Institut Louis Malardé
Didier
D
Musso
Vaea
V
Richard
Julien
J
Broult
Van-Mai
VM
Cao-Lormeau
D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D001782:Blood Donors; D058731:Blood Safety; D003715:Dengue / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D003716:Dengue Virus; D005260:Female; D011564:Furocoumarins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology*; D011114:Polynesia; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D038301:Virus Inactivation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
D011564:Furocoumarins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; C118577:amotosalen