key: cord-301183-k39e12cq
authors: Pham, Tho D.; Huang, ChunHong; Wirz, Oliver F.; Röltgen, Katharina; Sahoo, Malaya K.; Layon, Arlene; Pandey, Suchitra; Foung, Steven K.; Boyd, Scott D.; Pinsky, Benjamin A.
title: SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia in a Healthy Blood Donor 40 Days After Respiratory Illness Resolution
date: 2020-07-17
journal: Ann Intern Med
DOI: 10.7326/l20-0725
sha: 
doc_id: 301183
cord_uid: k39e12cq

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than 1 month after symptom resolution is concerning in light of current guidelines, which do not recommend SARS-CoV-2 screening in the general allogeneic donor population (5) . In this case, plasma viral RNA was reproducibly detected at a time point that exceeded recommendations for deferral based on time since symptom resolution (14 days). Of importance, these results are unlikely to be false-positive given that 2 different regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome were detected in separate specimens collected on the day of donation and that quality control passed on all runs, including the absence of amplification in the negative controls.

Of note, however, the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 from blood remains unknown and, to date, we are not aware of cases of transfusion-transmitted COVID-19. Furthermore, the risk for transmission of other transfusion-transmitted viral infections, such as HIV-1, is correlated with virus load, indicating that if bloodborne transmission is possible, the low level of

Coronavirus disease 2019: coronaviruses and blood safety

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA detected in blood donations

Sample pooling as a strategy to detect community transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Comparison of a laboratorydeveloped test targeting the envelope gene with three nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2

AABB's Resources for: FDA's Updated Information for Blood Establishments Regarding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak. Accessed at www.aabb.org/advocacy/regulatorygovernment/Documents/COVID-19-Tool kit