Inactivation of Zika virus in plasma with amotosalen and ultraviolet A illumination.
BACKGROUND
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) transmitted by mosquitoes. The potential for ZIKV transmission through blood transfusion was demonstrated during the ZIKV outbreak that occurred in French Polynesia from October 2013 to April 2014. Pathogen inactivation of blood products is a proactive strategy that provides the potential to reduce transfusion-transmitted diseases. Inactivation of arboviruses by amotosalen and ultraviolet A (UVA) illumination was previously demonstrated for chikungunya, West Nile, and dengue viruses. We report here the efficiency of this process for ZIKV inactivation of human plasma.


METHODS
Plasma units were spiked with ZIKV. Viral titers and RNA loads were measured in plasma before and after amotosalen and UVA photochemical treatment.


RESULTS
The mean ZIKV titers and RNA loads in plasma before inactivation were respectively 6.57 log TCID50 /mL and 10.25 log copies/mL. After inactivation, the mean ZIKV RNA loads was 9.51 log copies/mL, but cell cultures inoculated with inactivated plasma did not result in infected cells and did not produce any replicative virus after one passage, nor detectable viral RNA from the second passage.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study we demonstrate that amotosalen combined with UVA light inactivates ZIKV in fresh-frozen plasma. This inactivation process is of particular interest to prevent plasma transfusion-transmitted ZIKV infections in areas such as French Polynesia, where several arboviruses are cocirculating.
Pôle de Recherche et de Veille sur les Maladies Infectieuses Émergentes, Institut Louis Malardé, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Maite
M
Aubry
Pôle de Recherche et de Veille sur les Maladies Infectieuses Émergentes, Institut Louis Malardé, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Vaea
V
Richard
Cerus Corporation, Concord, California.
Jennifer
J
Green
Centre de Transfusion Sanguine de la Polynésie Française, Hôpital Du Taaone, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Julien
J
Broult
Pôle de Recherche et de Veille sur les Maladies Infectieuses Émergentes, Institut Louis Malardé, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Didier
D
Musso
D058731:Blood Safety / Q000379:methods*; D011564:Furocoumarins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D038301:Virus Inactivation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
D011564:Furocoumarins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C118577:amotosalen