J Infect Chemother . No SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in the convalescent plasma of COVID-19 patients with different disease severity

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J Infect Chemother


. 2021 Jan 15;S1341-321X(21)00012-X.
doi: 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.01.004. Online ahead of print.
No SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in the convalescent plasma of COVID-19 patients with different disease severity


Hidetoshi Nomoto ¹ , Satoshi Kutsuna ² , Kazu Okuma ³ , Madoka Kuramitsu ³ , Kenta Tezuka ³ , Emi Ikebe ³ , Sho Saito ¹ , Noriko Kinoshita ⁴ , Mari Terada ⁵ , Mio Endo ⁵ , Tetsuya Suzuki ¹ , Yusuke Miyazato ⁵ , Takato Nakamoto ⁵ , Makoto Inada ⁵ , Isao Hamaguchi ³ , Norio Ohmagari ⁴



Affiliations

• PMID: 33487533
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.01.004

Abstract

Introduction: Convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT), a potential therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), requires strict quality control of the donor blood. Whether to confirm the disappearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA (RNAemia) in convalescent donor blood or not is unclear. Reports recommending the proof of viral disappearance from the blood are controversial. Foreseeing CPT in treating COVID-19 patients in Japan, we investigated RNAemia in 100 convalescent donors with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19.
Methods: Between April 30 and July 30, 2020, we measured RNAemia in the plasma samples of donors with resolved COVID-19. Data on patients' demographics, comorbidities, pneumonia, treatment, and real-time polymerase chain reaction results for SARS-CoV-2 were collected. Date of onset of initial symptoms or date of positive testing (for asymptomatic patients) were self-reported by the patients. Disease severity was defined as: no, mild, moderate oxygen demand, or severe (requiring mechanical ventilation).
Results: Of 100 donors (58 males [58.0%]; median age, 47 [range 22-69] years) screened as of July 30, 2020, 77 (77.0%); 19 (19.0%); and 4 (4.0%) had mild, moderate, and severe disease, respectively. Median time between onset and testing was 68.5 (range, 21-167) days. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in any of the plasma samples.
Conclusion: RNAemia was not found in recovered COVID-19 patients at least 21, 27, and 57 days after the onset of mild, moderate, and severe symptoms. Our study may contribute to determining a suitable time for collecting convalescent plasma from COVID-19 patients and to future CPT use.

Keywords: Convalescent plasma; Coronavirus 2019; Passive immunization; RNA; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.