The genomic and seroprevalence of human bocavirus in healthy Chinese plasma donors and plasma derivatives.

BACKGROUND: Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a novel parvovirus identified in 2005. It has mostly been detected in respiratory and enteric infections and has not been studied large scale in blood products in relation to transfusion.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An in-house quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) was developed to test HBoV DNA in plasma and plasma derivatives. Plasma samples (n = 6096) collected from healthy donors, 241 plasma pools, and 326 plasma derivatives were screened for HBoV DNA by Q-PCR. Positive samples were confirmed by nested PCR and further amplified for sequence analysis and phylogenetic studies. The prevalence of immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM specific to HBoV structural proteins was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 209 samples grouped according to virus load (Group 1, HBoV DNA >10(4) copies/mL; Group 2, HBoV DNA >5 × 10(2) copies/mL but below 10(4) copies/mL; Group 3,HBoV DNA negative).

RESULTS: The genomic prevalence of HBoV in the plasma donors was 9.06%, ranging from 5.01 × 10(2) to 3.02 × 10(6) copies/mL. HBoV-specific IgG and IgM were detected at 20.00 and 7.50% in Group 1, at 20.29 and 2.90% in Group 2, and at 13.00 and 4.0% in Group 3, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses proved that HBoV Genotype 1 was the prevalent genotype in Chinese plasma donors.

CONCLUSION: Low levels of HBoV DNA were detectable at high prevalence in Chinese plasma donors and plasma derivatives. Further study is needed to determine whether HBoV screening is necessary.