title: Seroprevalence of Antibodies to Ross River and Barmah Forest Viruses: Possible Implications for Blood Transfusion Safety After Extreme Weather Events.
abstract: Climate change is predicted to increase the transmission of many vector-borne pathogens, representing an increasing threat to a safe blood supply. In early 2011, Australia experienced catastrophic rainfall and flooding, coupled with increased arbovirus transmission. We used Ross River (RRV) and Barmah Forest (BFV) viruses as test cases to investigate the potential risk posed to Australia's blood supply after this period of increased rainfall . We estimated the risk of collecting an infected donation as one in 2,500-58,000 for RRV and one in 2,000-28,000 for BFV. Climate change may incrementally increase the arbovirus threat to blood safety.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. hfaddy@redcrossblood.org.au.|School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. hfaddy@redcrossblood.org.au.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Faddy
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.|School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dunford
authors.affiliation: Medical Services, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olds
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Racloz
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Suzi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Nedlands, WA, Australia.|School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.|School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flower
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000524:Alphavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011891:Rain; D012398:Ross River virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
keywords: arbovirus; blood donor; climate; rainfall; risk; safety; transfusion