sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
From: "Media@cdc.gov (CDC)" <sohco@CDC.GOV>
To: MMWR-MEDIA@LISTSERV.CDC.GOV
Subject: MMWR Early Release for Friday, June 17, 2016 *Embargoed until 11:00 AM ET*
Date: Jun 17, 2016 10:58 AM
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Synopsis for June 17, 2016[/TD]
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Screening of blood donations for Zika virus infection using an investigational nucleic acid test ? Puerto Rico, April 3?June 11*, 2016
Zika virus became recognized as a potential threat to blood safety following reports from outbreaks of Zika virus infection in Federated States of Micronesia and French Polynesia. In February 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) issued recommendations for donor screening, donor deferral, and product management to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted Zika virus in the United States and its territories. On April 3, 2016, Zika virus screening of locally collected blood donations was implemented in Puerto Rico using a newly developed nucleic acid test (NAT) authorized by FDA under an investigational new drug application. A blood donation with an initial reactive result by NAT is regarded as a presumptive viremic donor, indicating an infected donor. During April 3?June 11, 2016, a total of 68 (0.5%) presumptive viremic donors were identified from 12,777 donations tested. The highest weekly incidence was 1.1% for the week of June 5-11, and numbers of presumptive viremic donors have been in ovecreasingr time. Confirmatory testing is pending. Donations testing positive have been interdicted and removed from the blood supply. The increasing prevalence of Zika virus nucleic acid among blood donors likely reflects an overall increase in infection incidence in the population-at-large. A prevalence of 1 percent among asymptomatic blood donors suggests substantial ongoing community transmission, with many new infections being acquired every day, given that viral nucleic acid likely can be detected for only 7 to 10 days following acute infection. Screening the Puerto Rico blood supply for Zika virus is expected to reduce the possibility of transfusion transmission.
To: MMWR-MEDIA@LISTSERV.CDC.GOV
Subject: MMWR Early Release for Friday, June 17, 2016 *Embargoed until 11:00 AM ET*
Date: Jun 17, 2016 10:58 AM
[TABLE="align: center, border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0, width: 663"]
[TR]
[TD]
[TD]
Synopsis for June 17, 2016[/TD]
[TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Screening of blood donations for Zika virus infection using an investigational nucleic acid test ? Puerto Rico, April 3?June 11*, 2016
Zika virus became recognized as a potential threat to blood safety following reports from outbreaks of Zika virus infection in Federated States of Micronesia and French Polynesia. In February 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) issued recommendations for donor screening, donor deferral, and product management to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted Zika virus in the United States and its territories. On April 3, 2016, Zika virus screening of locally collected blood donations was implemented in Puerto Rico using a newly developed nucleic acid test (NAT) authorized by FDA under an investigational new drug application. A blood donation with an initial reactive result by NAT is regarded as a presumptive viremic donor, indicating an infected donor. During April 3?June 11, 2016, a total of 68 (0.5%) presumptive viremic donors were identified from 12,777 donations tested. The highest weekly incidence was 1.1% for the week of June 5-11, and numbers of presumptive viremic donors have been in ovecreasingr time. Confirmatory testing is pending. Donations testing positive have been interdicted and removed from the blood supply. The increasing prevalence of Zika virus nucleic acid among blood donors likely reflects an overall increase in infection incidence in the population-at-large. A prevalence of 1 percent among asymptomatic blood donors suggests substantial ongoing community transmission, with many new infections being acquired every day, given that viral nucleic acid likely can be detected for only 7 to 10 days following acute infection. Screening the Puerto Rico blood supply for Zika virus is expected to reduce the possibility of transfusion transmission.