The Potential Impact of Chikungunya Virus Outbreaks on Blood Transfusion

Hatsadee Appassakij; Khachornsakdi Silpapojakul; Charuporn Promwong; Pairaya Rujirojindakul

doi:10.1016/j.tmrv.2019.06.002

The Potential Impact of Chikungunya Virus Outbreaks on Blood Transfusion

Transfus Med Rev. 2020 Jan;34(1):23-28. doi: 10.1016/j.tmrv.2019.06.002. Epub 2019 Jun 20.

Authors

Hatsadee Appassakij¹, Khachornsakdi Silpapojakul², Charuporn Promwong³, Pairaya Rujirojindakul⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. Electronic address: ahatsade@medicine.psu.ac.th.
² Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. Electronic address: skhachor@medicine.psu.ac.th.
³ National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society, Pathum Wan, Bangkok. Electronic address: pcharupo@hotmail.com.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. Electronic address: rupairay@medicine.psu.ac.th.

PMID: 31303361
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmrv.2019.06.002

Abstract

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is responsible for large periodic epidemics in both endemic and nonendemic areas where competent mosquitoes are present. Transmission of CHIKV by transfusion during explosive outbreaks has never been documented, and the true impact of CHIKV infection on blood transfusion during an outbreak is unknown. Considerations include not only transfusions in the active outbreak areas but also returning travelers to nonendemic areas. Because there are no documented cases of transfusion-transmitted CHIKV, there are no standard guidelines regarding transfusion policies during a chikungunya fever outbreak. We review current information from studies during outbreaks with the goal of estimating the potential effect of different blood safety interventions (eg, querying donors for possible CHIKV exposure, chikungunya fever-related symptoms, screening for CHIKV RNA).

Keywords: Asymptomatic infection; Blood safety; Chikungunya; Emerging infectious diseases; Intervention measures; Risk modeling; Transfusion transmission; Travel; Viremia.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Blood Donors / statistics & numerical data
Blood Donors / supply & distribution
Blood Safety / methods
Blood Safety / statistics & numerical data
Blood Transfusion* / methods
Blood Transfusion* / statistics & numerical data
Chikungunya Fever / blood*
Chikungunya Fever / diagnosis
Chikungunya Fever / epidemiology
Chikungunya virus / isolation & purification
Chikungunya virus / physiology*
Disease Outbreaks
Donor Selection / methods
Humans
Mass Screening / methods