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. 2023 Jan;63(1):23-29.
doi: 10.1111/trf.17168. Epub 2022 Nov 3.

Absence of pathogenic viruses in COVID-19 convalescent plasma

Abraham J Kandathil  1 , Sarah E Benner  2 , Evan M Bloch  2 , Ruchee Shrestha  2 , Olivia Ajayi  2 , Xianming Zhu  2 , Patrizio P Caturegli  2 , Shmuel Shoham  1 , David Sullivan  1   3 , Kelly Gebo  1 , Thomas C Quinn  1   4 , Arturo Casadevall  3 , Daniel Hanley  5 , Andrew Pekosz  1   3 , Andrew D Redd  1   4 , Ashwin Balagopal  1 , Aaron A R Tobian  1   2
Affiliations

Absence of pathogenic viruses in COVID-19 convalescent plasma

Abraham J Kandathil et al. Transfusion. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Background: It is important to maintain the safety of blood products by avoiding the transfusion of units with known and novel viral pathogens. It is unknown whether COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) may contain pathogenic viruses (either newly acquired or reactivated) that are not routinely screened for by blood centers.

Methods: The DNA virome was characterized in potential CCP donors (n = 30) using viral genome specific PCR primers to identify DNA plasma virome members of the Herpesviridae [Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpesvirus 6A/B, human herpesvirus 7] and Anelloviridae [Torque teno viruses (TTV), Torque teno mini viruses (TTMV), and Torque teno midi viruses (TTMDV)] families. In addition, the RNA plasma virome was characterized using unbiased metagenomic sequencing. Sequencing was done on a HiSeq2500 using high output mode with a read length of 2X100 bp. The sequencing reads were taxonomically classified using Kraken2. CMV and EBV seroprevalence were evaluated using a chemiluminescent immunoassay.

Results: TTV and TTMDV were detected in 12 (40%) and 4 (13%) of the 30 study participants, respectively; TTMDV was always associated with infection with TTV. We did not observe TTMV DNAemia. Despite CMV and EBV seroprevalences of 33.3% and 93.3%, respectively, we did not detect Herpesviridae DNA among the study participants. Metagenomic sequencing did not reveal any human RNA viruses in CCP, including no evidence of circulating SARS-CoV-2.

Discussion: There was no evidence of pathogenic viruses, whether newly acquired or reactivated, in CCP despite the presence of non-pathogenic Anelloviridae. These results confirm the growing safety data supporting CCP.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; convalescent plasma; shedding; virome; viruses.

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Conflict of interest statement

Evan M. Bloch reports personal fees and non‐financial support from Terumo BCT, personal fees and non‐financial support from Grifols Diagnostics Solutions, outside of the submitted work; Evan M. Bloch is a member of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Blood Products Advisory Committee. Any views or opinions that are expressed in this manuscript are that of the author's, based on his own scientific expertise and professional judgment; they do not necessarily represent the views of either the Blood Products Advisory Committee or the formal position of FDA, and also do not bind or otherwise obligate or commit either Advisory Committee or the Agency to the views expressed. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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