Establishment of transfusion-relevant bacteria reference strains for red blood cells.

Background And Objectives: Red blood cell concentrates (RBCC) are susceptible to bacterial contamination despite cold storage. A reliable evaluation of strategies to minimize the risk of RBCC-associated bacterial transmission requires the use of suitable reference bacteria. Already existing Transfusion-Relevant Bacteria Reference Strains (TRBRS) for platelet concentrates fail to grow in RBCC.

Inactivation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in plasma and platelet products using a riboflavin and ultraviolet light-based photochemical treatment.

Background And Objective: Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a member of the coronavirus family. Coronavirus infections in humans are typically associated with respiratory illnesses; however, viral RNA has been isolated in serum from infected patients. Coronaviruses have been identified as a potential low-risk threat to blood safety.

Improving the safety of whole blood-derived transfusion products with a riboflavin-based pathogen reduction technology.

Worldwide safety of blood has been positively impacted by technological, economic and social improvements; nevertheless, growing socio-political changes of contemporary society together with environmental changes challenge the practice of blood transfusion with a continuous source of unforeseeable threats with the emergence and re-emergence of blood-borne pathogens. Pathogen reduction (PR) is a proactive strategy to mitigate the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections. PR technologies for the treatment of single plasma units and platelet concentrates are commercially available and have been successfully implemented in more than 2 dozen countries worldwide.

Inactivation of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in plasma products using a riboflavin-based and ultraviolet light-based photochemical treatment.

Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has been identified as a potential threat to the safety of blood products. The Mirasol Pathogen Reduction Technology System uses riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light to render blood-borne pathogens noninfectious while maintaining blood product quality. Here, we report on the efficacy of riboflavin and UV light against MERS-CoV when tested in human plasma.

Evaluation of Mirasol pathogen reduction system by artificially contaminating platelet concentrates with Staphylococcus epidermidis: A pilot study from India.

Background And Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of Mirasol pathogen reduction system for platelets aimed at preventing bacterial regrowth by spiking buffy coat pooled platelets (BCPP) with clinically relevant load of Staphylococous epidermidis.

Materials And Methods: BCPP units were prepared using Teruflex BP-kit with Imugard III-S-PL (Terumo BCT, Tokyo, Japan). Two BCPP units were pooled, of which 40 ml of negative control (NC) was removed.

Treatment of blood with a pathogen reduction technology using ultraviolet light and riboflavin inactivates Ebola virus in vitro.

Background: Transfusion of plasma from recovered patients after Ebolavirus (EBOV) infection, typically called "convalescent plasma," is an effective treatment for active disease available in endemic areas, but carries the risk of introducing other pathogens, including other strains of EBOV. A pathogen reduction technology using ultraviolet light and riboflavin (UV+RB) is effective against multiple enveloped, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that are similar in structure to EBOV. We hypothesized that UV+RB is effective against EBOV in blood products without activating complement or reducing protective immunoglobulin titers that are important for the treatment of Ebola virus disease (EVD).

Treatment of Platelet Products with Riboflavin and UV Light: Effectiveness Against High Titer Bacterial Contamination.

Contamination of platelet units by bacteria has long been acknowledged as a significant transfusion risk due to their post-donation storage conditions. Products are routinely stored at 22 °C on an agitating shaker, a condition that can promote bacterial growth. Although the total number of bacteria believed to be introduced into a platelet product is extremely low, these bacteria can multiply to a very high titer prior to transfusion, potentially resulting in serious adverse events.

Inactivation of viruses in platelet and plasma products using a riboflavin-and-UV-based photochemical treatment.

Background: Multilayered blood safety programs reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted diseases; however, there remains a risk of window period transmission of screened viruses and transmission of unscreened and emerging viruses from asymptomatic donors. To reduce this risk, a riboflavin-and-UV-light-based pathogen reduction process was evaluated against eight viral agents.

Study Design And Methods: Riboflavin and UV light was evaluated against the following eight viral agents: encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza A (FLUAV), La Crosse virus (LACV), pseudorabies virus (PRV), sindbis virus (SINV), and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

Riboflavin and ultraviolet light for pathogen reduction of murine cytomegalovirus in blood products.

Background: Two studies were performed to test the effectiveness of riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light treatment (Mirasol PRT, Terumo BCT) against murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). The first study utilized immune-compromised mice to measure the reduction of cell-free MCMV. A second study used a murine model to evaluate the ability of Mirasol PRT to prevent transfusion-transmitted (TT)-MCMV infection.

Treatment of Whole Blood With Riboflavin and UV Light: Impact on Malaria Parasite Viability and Whole Blood Storage.

Background: Sub-Saharan African countries utilize whole blood (WB) to treat severe anemia secondary to severe blood loss or malaria on an emergency basis. In many areas with high prevalence of transfusion-transmissible agents, blood safety measures are insufficient. Pathogen reduction technology applied to WB might considerably improve blood safety.

The effect of riboflavin and ultraviolet light on the infectivity of arboviruses.

Background: Arboviruses are an emerging threat to transfusion safety and rates of infection are likely to increase with the increased rainfall associated with climate change. Arboviral infections are common in Australia, where Ross River virus (RRV), Barmah Forest virus (BFV), and Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV), among others, have the potential to cause disease in humans. The use of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) may be an alternative approach for blood services to manage the risk of arboviral transfusion transmission.

Reduction of Leishmania donovani infectivity in whole blood using riboflavin and ultraviolet light.

Background: Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania sp. that is transmitted by sandflies. Travelers to endemic areas, and US military personnel stationed in the Middle East, are at risk for contracting the disease.

Development of a riboflavin and ultraviolet light-based device to treat whole blood.

Background: In the United States, blood components are commonly used for patients in need of massive transfusion after blood loss. In combat situations, when severe traumatic injuries occur far from a hospital, fresh whole blood is a valuable transfusion therapy because components may not be available. The risk of infectious or immunological complications from fresh whole blood transfusions could be mitigated by a system that reduces pathogen loads and inactivates white blood cells (WBCs).

Inactivation of Plasmodium spp. in plasma and platelet concentrates using riboflavin and ultraviolet light.

Background: Photochemical treatment of blood products could help prevent transfusion-transmitted malaria and reduce the need for donor deferrals. In this study we evaluated the effectiveness of riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light against both Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the most severe form of human malaria, and Plasmodium yoelii, an in vivo murine model for malaria.

Study Design And Methods: Plasma and platelet (PLT) concentrates were inoculated with either P.

Riboflavin and ultraviolet light reduce the infectivity of Babesia microti in whole blood.

Background: Babesia microti is the parasite most frequently transmitted by blood transfusion in the United States. Previous work demonstrated the efficacy of riboflavin (RB) and ultraviolet (UV) light to inactivate B.microti in apheresis plasma and platelet units.

Photochemical inactivation of chikungunya virus in plasma and platelets using the Mirasol pathogen reduction technology system.

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a reemerging mosquito-borne virus that has been responsible for a number of large-scale epidemics as well as imported cases covering a wide geographical range. As a blood-borne virus capable of mounting a high-titer viremia in infected humans, CHIKV was included on a list of risk agents for transfusion and organ transplant by the AABB Transfusion-Transmitted Diseases Committee. Therefore, we evaluated the ability of the Mirasol pathogen reduction technology (PRT) system (CaridianBCT Biotechnologies) to inactivate live virus in contaminated plasma and platelet (PLT) samples.

Evaluating pathogen reduction of Trypanosoma cruzi with riboflavin and ultraviolet light for whole blood.

Background: Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasitic agent of Chagas disease, can be transmitted by blood transfusion. In 2007, most US blood banks started screening blood donations for T. cruzi, but the cost and perceived need of the test have been the subject of ongoing discussion.

Defining "adequate" pathogen reduction performance for transfused blood components.

Pathogen reduction of labile blood products offers the opportunity to introduce to the blood banking community the same mechanism of protection that is employed for fractionated or pooled plasma products today--blood components that have been treated with methods to inactivate or reduce the infectivity of a variety of organisms that may contaminate donated blood and thus potentially transmit infection via transfusion. Due to the mechanisms of action, the methods employed in the plasma fractionation environment are not directly applicable to labile blood products. This article examines whether the same criteria of performance required for plasma derivatives (i.

A laboratory comparison of pathogen reduction technology treatment and culture of platelet products for addressing bacterial contamination concerns.

Background: Concerns over the risk of bacterial contamination of platelet products have led to implementation of bacteria culture and other screening methods. New approaches for dealing with this issue have also been proposed.

Study Design And Methods: A direct comparison of treatment with riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light (Mirasol pathogen reduction technology [PRT] system) versus bacterial culture testing (two-bottle system, 48-hour quarantine) was undertaken to compare their effectiveness.

Treatment with riboflavin and ultraviolet light prevents alloimmunization to platelet transfusions and cardiac transplants.

Background: Functional leukocytes in blood transfusions can cause alloimmunization. Previous studies have shown that exposure of platelet concentrates to riboflavin and light (Mirasol PRT treatment) causes irreparable modification of nucleic acids. This treatment does not interfere with platelet function but does inhibit a wide range of immunological functions of leukocytes present in platelet concentrates.

Riboflavin and UV-light based pathogen reduction: extent and consequence of DNA damage at the molecular level.

We are developing a technology based on the combined application of riboflavin (RB) and light for inactivating pathogens in blood products while retaining the biological functions of the treated cells and proteins. Virus and bacteria reduction measured by tissue culture infectivity or colony formation with UV light alone and in combination with RB yield equivalent results. The effects of RB as a sensitizing agent on DNA in white cells, bacteria and viruses in combination with UV light exposure have been evaluated.

Photochemical inactivation of selected viruses and bacteria in platelet concentrates using riboflavin and light.

Background: A medical device is being developed for the reduction of pathogens in PLT concentrates (PCs). The device uses broadband UV light and the compound riboflavin (vitamin B(2)).

Study Design And Methods: Pathogens were added to single-donor PLTs.