Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus antibodies in haemophiliacs treated exclusively with clotting-factor concentrates considered safe against human immunodeficiency and hepatitis C viruses.

Clotting-factor concentrates (CFC) are a potential source of transmission of blood-borne viruses. Newer physical and chemical methods (pasteurization, wet-heating, solvent/detergent treating) developed to inactivate viruses are effective against HIV, HBV and HCV. However, it is not clear if these methods protect against other pathogenic viruses such as parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV). To evaluate the safety of current CFC we have studied seroprevalence of parovirus B19, CMV, HAV and HEV antibodies in 22 HIV and HCV negative haemophiliacs who were treated exclusively with clotting-factor concentrates considered safe with respect to HIV and HCV transmission, 22 healthy individuals served as controls. Neither HAV nor HEV antibodies were detected in haemophiliacs or controls. Two controls and two haemophiliacs were seropositive for CMV. Five controls (32% prevalence) and 15 haemophiliacs (77%) were positive to parovirus B19. No statistical differences can be established for seropositivity with CMV, HAV and HEV between haemophilic patients and controls. In the case of parvovirus B19 the differences are statistically significant (P= 0.0128). The relative risk of parvovirus B19 is 2.4 in the case of haemophiliacs. CFC considered safe against HIV and HCV are not safe against parvovirus B19, although they seem to be safe against CMV, HAV and HEV.