Coronavirus Disease 2019: Coronaviruses and Blood Safety

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmrv.2020.02.003Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Review current information and understanding (as of February 10, 2020) of the potential for transmission of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) through blood products.

  • Summarize current understanding of pathogen inactivation methods on coronaviruses.

  • Review measures that Chinese blood banks are taking during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Abstract

With the outbreak of unknown pneumonia in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, a new coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), aroused the attention of the entire world. The current outbreak of infections with SARS-CoV-2 is termed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 in China as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Two other coronavirus infections—SARS in 2002-2003 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012—both caused severe respiratory syndrome in humans. All 3 of these emerging infectious diseases leading to a global spread are caused by β-coronaviruses. Although coronaviruses usually infect the upper or lower respiratory tract, viral shedding in plasma or serum is common. Therefore, there is still a theoretical risk of transmission of coronaviruses through the transfusion of labile blood products. Because more and more asymptomatic infections are being found among COVID-19 cases, considerations of blood safety and coronaviruses have arisen especially in endemic areas. In this review, we detail current evidence and understanding of the transmission of SARS-CoV, MERS–CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 through blood products as of February 10, 2020, and also discuss pathogen inactivation methods on coronaviruses.

Keywords

Coronavirus
Blood safety
SARS
MERS
2019-nCoV
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Pathogen inactivation technology

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