Transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E in Germany, 2013

D Huzly; M Umhau; D Bettinger; T Cathomen; F Emmerich; P Hasselblatt; H Hengel; R Herzog; O Kappert; S Maassen; E Schorb; C Schulz-Huotari; R Thimme; R Unmüssig; J J Wenzel; M Panning

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES2014.19.21.20812

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Transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E in Germany, 2013
D Huzly¹ , M Umhau² , D Bettinger³ , T Cathomen² , F Emmerich² , P Hasselblatt³ , H Hengel¹ , R Herzog² , O Kappert⁴ , S Maassen⁴ , E Schorb⁵ , C Schulz-Huotari² , R Thimme³ , R Unmüssig⁴ , J J Wenzel⁶ , M Panning¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Institute for Virology, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany ² Institute for Cell and Gene Therapy, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany ³ Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany ⁴ Public Health Office, Freiburg, Germany ⁵ Department of Medicine I, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany ⁶ Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Hygiene, Regensburg University Medical Center, Regensburg, Germany

Correspondence:
M Panning
marcus.panning uniklinik-freiburg.de
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Citation style for this article: Huzly D, Umhau M, Bettinger D, Cathomen T, Emmerich F, Hasselblatt P, Hengel H, Herzog R, Kappert O, Maassen S, Schorb E, Schulz-Huotari C, Thimme R, Unmüssig R, Wenzel J J, Panning M. Transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E in Germany, 2013. Euro Surveill. 2014;19(21):pii=20812. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES2014.19.21.20812 Received: 21 May 2014

Abstract

The reported IgG seroprevalence against hepatitis E virus (HEV) in German blood donations is 6.8%, and HEV RNA detected in 0.08%, but documented evidence for HEV transmission is lacking. We identified two donations from a single donor containing 120 IU HEV RNA/mL plasma and 490 IU/mL. An infectious dose of 7,056 IU HEV RNA was transmitted via apheresis platelets to an immunosuppressed patient who developed chronic HEV. Further, transmission was probable in an immunocompetent child.