Prevalence of human parvovirus B19 and TT virus in a group of young haemophiliacs in South Africa

A well recognized hazard of transfusion with blood or blood products is the acquisition of a viral infection. Parvovirus B19 and transfusion transmitt ed virus (TTV) are two of several non-enveloped viruses that may on rare oc casions be present in coagulation factor concentrates. The prevalence of th ese viruses in the South African Haemophilia population has not previously been studied. Thirty-nine Haemophiliac children were investigated for evide nce of parvovirus and TTV infection. 26 boys with Haemophilia A had been tr eated with cryoprecipitate or intermediate purity factor VIII, and 13 boys with Haemophilia B had received prothrombin complex concentrates. All the p lasma products were prepared from South African donors and were virally ina ctivated by heat or solvent/detergent since 1992. A control group of 32 chi ldren who had not been transfused were also studied. IgG antibodies to B19 were present in 29 of the 39 patients (74%), 18/26 (69%) with Haemophilia A and 12 of the 13 (85%) with Haemophilia B. None of the patients was IgM an tibody positive but two children were PCR positive for B19 DNA. Of the cont rol children, 47% had IgG antibodies to B19, but none were IgM antibody or B19 DNA positive. TTV viral DNA was found in 10.2% of patients and in 9% of the control group. The results indicate that our locally produced plasma p roducts are not a significant source of TTV transmitted infection but may c ontribute to infection by B19 parvovirus.