ABSENCE OF HEPATITIS-A VIRUS TRANSMISSION BY HIGH-PURITY SOLVENT DETERGENT-TREATED COAGULATION-FACTOR CONCENTRATES IN SCOTTISH HEMOPHILIACS

Recent reports of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in haemophiliacs r eceiving high-purity solvent detergent (HP.SD) treated factor VIII con centrates have brought into question the efficacy of this virucidal me thod for inactivating HAV. To assess whether HAV may have been transmi tted by HP.SD concentrates, we compared seroprevalence in haemophiliac s with different disease severity, sought evidence of seroconversion t o HAV since introduction of HP.SD products, and directly examined conc entrates for HAV RNA by PCR. Our data suggest that Scottish haemophili acs are not being infected with HAV by HP.SD concentrates produced ini tially by CRTS Lille and presently by PFC Edinburgh and supplied by th e Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS).