Epub 2018 May 6.
Inactivation of Ebola virus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in platelet concentrates and plasma by ultraviolet C light and methylene blue plus visible light, respectively
Markus Eickmann 1 , Ute Gravemann 2 , Wiebke Handke 2 , Frank Tolksdorf 3 , Stefan Reichenberg 3 , Thomas H Müller 2 , Axel Seltsam 2
Affiliations
PMID: 29732571 PMCID: PMC7169708 DOI: 10.1111/trf.14652
Free PMC article
Abstract
Background: Ebola virus (EBOV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been identified as potential threats to blood safety. This study investigated the efficacy of the THERAFLEX UV-Platelets and THERAFLEX MB-Plasma pathogen inactivation systems to inactivate EBOV and MERS-CoV in platelet concentrates (PCs) and plasma, respectively.
Study design and methods: PCs and plasma were spiked with high titers of cell culture-derived EBOV and MERS-CoV, treated with various light doses of ultraviolet C (UVC; THERAFLEX UV-Platelets) or methylene blue (MB) plus visible light (MB/light; THERAFLEX MB-Plasma), and assessed for residual viral infectivity.
Results: UVC reduced EBOV (≥4.5 log) and MERS-CoV (≥3.7 log) infectivity in PCs to the limit of detection, and MB/light decreased EBOV (≥4.6 log) and MERS-CoV (≥3.3 log) titers in plasma to nondetectable levels.
Conclusions: Both THERAFLEX UV-Platelets (UVC) and THERAFLEX MB-Plasma (MB/light) effectively reduce EBOV and MERS-CoV infectivity in platelets and plasma, respectively.