All blood donated in the USA should be screened for Zika to prevent the virus from spreading through transfusions, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
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The FDA guidance impacts testing of all donated whole blood and blood components such as plasma and platelets in the United States and territories.
Expanded testing should remain in effect until the risk of transmitting the virus through blood transfusions is reduced, the FDA recommended.
There are a total of 2,517 cases of Zika in the USA states and D.C., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 9,011 more in US territories.
There are 584 pregnant women on the United States mainland with lab evidence of Zika infection, and 812 in the U.S. territories. So far, no SunCoast Blood Bank donors have tested positive for the virus.
“We don’t have it here in northern Nevada, we have started to set traps for the kind of mosquito that can transmit, although thus far we have not found any of that particular mosquito, it’s the Aedes Aegypti mosquito”, Dr. Todd said. An estimated 80% of people infected have no symptoms, however. But in pregnant women, it can cause microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with abnormally small brains and heads. We’ve seen that Zika can transmit from females to males and is also now considered an STD. Back in February, the FDA made a similar rule, but just to areas where the Zika virus was actively spreading. But there are cases of Zika virus infection who do not develop symptoms.
The FDA works with other federal agencies to set standards for screening, testing and handling blood donations. These tests search for specific genetic sequences in certain viruses, such as HIV or hepatitis.
UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health Care has several Zika experts available for media interviews.
Zika can also be spread through sex, and Marks said that played into the decision to expand testing. They say they are now reviewing the new Zika testing guidelines. As an alternative, banks may decontaminate plasma and platelets with so-called pathogen reduction technology. Maryland has 77 travel-associated cases, and no locally acquired ones.
An executive for America’s Blood Centers, which has more than 600 locations in the USA and Canada, warned that the amount of work needed to comply with the FDA’s timeline is “titanic”.
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“The Red Cross is conducting blood donor tests for Zika virus under an investigational study in five southeastern states in the US that are believed to be at greatest risk of local mosquito transmission of Zika virus in which our collections occur”, said Dr. Susan Stramer, Red Cross vice president of Scientific Affairs in a statement.
