HIGHER PREVALENCE OF PARVOVIRUS B19 IN BELGIAN AS COMPARED TO TUNISIAN BLOOD-DONORS - DIFFERENTIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR PREVENTION OF TRANSFUSIONAL TRANSMISSION

Serious anaemia can be induced by human parvovirus B19 (HPV) infection in immune-compromised patients or subjects with an haemolytic disorde r. Routine inactivation procedures are insufficient to neutralize the virus, but screening for HPV is an effective means to avoid transmissi on by transfusion of blood components. In the present study, we have c ompared for the first time the IgG and IgM seroprevalence in a North A frican (Tunisian) and Western European (Belgian) population of blood d onors. The prevalence of HPV-specific IgM was less than 2% in both pop ulations, pointing to the absence of an epidemic. The prevalence HPV I gG was significantly (p<0.01) higher in Belgium (74%) than in Tunisia (65%), without any relationship with age or sex. This finding may sugg est a south-north gradient of this infectious disease. Since the prese nce or absence of HPV-specific antibodies does not preclude transfusio nal transmission, screening for the virus itself should be done to avo id iatrogenic infection in HPV-naive subjects at risk. In view of the different transfusion policies in Belgium and Tunisia, a strategy for each of both countries is proposed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.