An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety?
A widespread outbreak of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected in mainland Australia in 2022 in a previous non-endemic area. Given JEV is known to be transfusion-transmissible, a rapid blood-safety risk assessment was performed using a simple deterministic model to estimate the risk to bloo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/9/1935 |
| _version_ | 1797481448909832192 |
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| author | Veronica C. Hoad Philip Kiely Clive R. Seed Elvina Viennet Iain B. Gosbell |
| author_facet | Veronica C. Hoad Philip Kiely Clive R. Seed Elvina Viennet Iain B. Gosbell |
| author_sort | Veronica C. Hoad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A widespread outbreak of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected in mainland Australia in 2022 in a previous non-endemic area. Given JEV is known to be transfusion-transmissible, a rapid blood-safety risk assessment was performed using a simple deterministic model to estimate the risk to blood safety over a 3-month outbreak period during which 234,212 donors attended. The cumulative estimated incidence in donors was 82 infections with an estimated 4.26 viraemic components issued, 1.58 resulting in transfusion-transmission and an estimated risk of encephalitis of 1 in 4.3 million per component transfused over the risk period. Australia has initiated a robust public health response, including vector control, animal control and movement, and surveillance. Unlike West Nile virus, there is an effective vaccine that is being rolled-out to those at higher risk. Risk evaluation considered options such as restricting those potentially at risk to plasma for fractionation, which incorporates additional pathogen reduction, introducing a screening test, physicochemical pathogen reduction, quarantine, post donation illness policy changes and a new donor deferral. However, except for introducing a new deferral to potentially cover rare flavivirus risks, no option resulted in a clear risk reduction benefit but all posed threats to blood sufficiency or cost. Therefore, the blood safety risk was concluded to be tolerable without specific mitigations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:14:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e57ad60c34ca47eb8927631e7a5e70fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:14:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-e57ad60c34ca47eb8927631e7a5e70fb2023-11-23T19:26:42ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-08-01149193510.3390/v14091935An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety?Veronica C. Hoad0Philip Kiely1Clive R. Seed2Elvina Viennet3Iain B. Gosbell4Clinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, West Melbourne, VIC 3003, AustraliaClinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, West Melbourne, VIC 3003, AustraliaClinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, West Melbourne, VIC 3003, AustraliaClinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, West Melbourne, VIC 3003, AustraliaClinical Services and Research, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, West Melbourne, VIC 3003, AustraliaA widespread outbreak of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected in mainland Australia in 2022 in a previous non-endemic area. Given JEV is known to be transfusion-transmissible, a rapid blood-safety risk assessment was performed using a simple deterministic model to estimate the risk to blood safety over a 3-month outbreak period during which 234,212 donors attended. The cumulative estimated incidence in donors was 82 infections with an estimated 4.26 viraemic components issued, 1.58 resulting in transfusion-transmission and an estimated risk of encephalitis of 1 in 4.3 million per component transfused over the risk period. Australia has initiated a robust public health response, including vector control, animal control and movement, and surveillance. Unlike West Nile virus, there is an effective vaccine that is being rolled-out to those at higher risk. Risk evaluation considered options such as restricting those potentially at risk to plasma for fractionation, which incorporates additional pathogen reduction, introducing a screening test, physicochemical pathogen reduction, quarantine, post donation illness policy changes and a new donor deferral. However, except for introducing a new deferral to potentially cover rare flavivirus risks, no option resulted in a clear risk reduction benefit but all posed threats to blood sufficiency or cost. Therefore, the blood safety risk was concluded to be tolerable without specific mitigations.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/9/1935transfusionblood safetyinfectious diseasesJapanese encephalitis virus |
| spellingShingle | Veronica C. Hoad Philip Kiely Clive R. Seed Elvina Viennet Iain B. Gosbell An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety? Viruses transfusion blood safety infectious diseases Japanese encephalitis virus |
| title | An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety? |
| title_full | An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety? |
| title_fullStr | An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety? |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety? |
| title_short | An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia; What Is the Risk to Blood Safety? |
| title_sort | outbreak of japanese encephalitis virus in australia what is the risk to blood safety |
| topic | transfusion blood safety infectious diseases Japanese encephalitis virus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/9/1935 |
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