Prevalence of human pegivirus-1 and sequence variability of its E2 glycoprotein estimated from screening donors of fetal stem cell-containing material.

Background: Human pegivirus-1 (HPgV-1) is a member of the Flaviviridae family whose genomic organization and mode of cellular entry is similar to that of hepatitis C virus (HCV). The E2 glycoprotein of HPgV-1 is the principle mediator in the virus-cell interaction and as such harbors most of HPgV-1's antigenic determinants. HPgV-1 persists in blood cell precursors which are increasingly used for cell therapy.

Fetal Tissues Tested for Microbial Sterility by Culture- and PCR-Based Methods Can be Safely Used in Clinics.

Cell preparations to be used in clinical practice must be free of infectious agents. Safety concerns are especially elevated upon the use of human fetal tissues, which are otherwise highly advantageous in cell therapy. We demonstrate that treating fetal samples with antibiotic, extensive washing, and homogenization prior to cryoconservation efficiently removes microbes in general.