Evaluation of viremia frequencies of a novel human pegivirus by using bioinformatic screening and PCR

Next-generation sequencing has critical applications in virus discovery, diagnostics, and environmental surveillance. We used metagenomic sequence libraries for retrospective screening of plasma samples for the recently discovered human hepegivirus 1 (HHpgV-1). From a cohort of 150 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive case-patients, we identified 2 persons with HHpgV-1 viremia and a high frequency of human pegivirus (HPgV) viremia (14%). Detection of HHpgV-1 and HPgV was concordant with parallel PCR-based screening using conserved primers matching groups 1 (HPgV) and 2 (HHPgV-1) nonstructural 3 region sequences. PCR identified 1 HHPgV-1-positive person with viremia from a group of 195 persons with hemophilia who had been exposed to nonvirally inactivated factor VII/IX; 18 (9%) were HPgV-positive. Relative to HCV and HPgV, active infections with HHpgV-1 were infrequently detected in blood, even in groups that had substantial parenteral exposure. Our findings are consistent with lower transmissibility or higher rates of virus clearance for HHpgV-1 than for other bloodborne human flaviviruses

LAV/HTLV III presence in peripheral blood lymphocytes of seropositive young hemophiliacs

Abstract Recent studies indicate a high prevalence of seropositivity to the lymphadenopathy-associated virus/human T-lymphotropic virus (type III) among individuals with hemophilia exposed to clotting factor concentrates prepared from large donor pools. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of 19 young seropositive patients with inherited bleeding disorders were examined for the presence of this virus by coculture with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes. Viral isolates were obtained from six of 19 patients. While none of these patients have developed the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex, five of them had lymphadenopathy in two noncontiguous areas, and two showed clinically symptomatic enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Of the 13 patients in whom virus was not demonstrated, five were judged clinically normal and five had mild lymphadenopathy in one anatomical area. These results suggest that as many as 33% of hemophiliacs (six of 19 patients studied), who have circulating antibodies to mature viral proteins, have viral-infected peripheral blood lymphocytes capable of infecting other lymphocytes in vitro.</jats:p

High frequencies of exposure to the novel human parvovirus PARV4 in hemophiliacs and injection drug users, as detected by a serological assay for PARV4 antibodies.

BACKGROUND: PARV4 is a human parvovirus that was first detected in and cloned from an individual with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion-like illness and that subsequently persisted in the lymphoid tissue and bone marrow. In contrast to human parvovirus B19 infections, PARV4 infections are most frequently detected in injection drug users (IDUs), particularly those who are coinfected with HIV type 1 (HIV-1). To investigate the routes of transmission of PARV4 and to ascertain whether infections are acquired through plasma-derived blood products, we developed a novel anti-PARV4 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine its seroprevalence in subjects with parenteral exposure. METHODS: PARV4 viral protein 2 (VP2) was expressed and used as antigen in an indirect ELISA, to detect anti-PARV4 immunoglobulin G. RESULTS: All 50 adult control subjects who were nonparenterally exposed to PARV4 were anti-PARV4 negative, in contrast to HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected IDUs, who had antibody frequencies of 67% and 33%, respectively. Predominantly parenteral transmission was confirmed by the finding of similar frequencies of infection among HIV-coinfected and HIV-uninfected hemophiliacs (11 of 20 individuals and 4 of 15 individuals, respectively) who were treated with nonvirally inactivated factor VIII/factor IX, whereas all but 1 of the 35 nonhemophiliac siblings of these siblings were found to be seronegative (despite having close household contact). CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides convincing evidence that PARV4 is primarily transmitted parenterally. Evidence for widespread infection of hemophiliacs treated with nonvirally inactivated clotting factor creates fresh safety concerns for plasma-derived blood products, particularly because parvoviruses are relatively resistant to virus inactivation

Recombinant Porcine Factor VIII Corrects Thrombin Generation and Improves Clot Structure In Vitro in Plasma Containing Anti-Factor VIII Inhibitory Antibodies

Abstract Abstract 2282 Introduction: Treatment of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A who have developed inhibitory antibodies can be challenging. Using human factor VIII (FVIII) and, historically, porcine FVIII in patients with a low inhibitor titer are therapeutic options, and provide ease of monitoring. A B-domain deleted recombinant porcine FVIII (rpFVIII; OBI-1), which may possess low cross-reactivity to anti-human FVIII antibodies, is being investigated for the treatment of bleeding episodes in individuals with congenital hemophilia A and inhibitors, and in those with acquired hemophilia. The in vitro capacity of this molecule to correct hemostasis has been further characterized. Methods: This is an international, multicenter in vitro study. Individuals with hemophilia A and inhibitor antibodies were recruited during routine out-patient visits between January 2011 and March 2011. Written and signed informed consent was obtained prior to venepuncture. Blood was obtained from volunteers with congenital hemophilia A and inhibitors attending routine visits at participating hemophilia treatment centers. A single blood sample was obtained from consenting individuals under protocols approved by Institutional Review Boards/Ethical Committees. In vitro spiking experiments with OBI-1 were conducted using FVIII-deficient plasma with and without anti-FVIII inhibitory activity. Three control inhibitor plasmas were provided, composed of FVIII deficient plasma to which the anti-C1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) to human FVIII (Sanquin, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) was added at two concentrations to reach anti-human FVIII inhibitory activity of 4.9 Bethesda Units (BU)/mL and 32.8 BU/mL with anti-porcine anti-FVIII inhibitory activity of 2.7 BU/mL and 19.1 BU/mL, respectively; and FVIII deficient plasma to which “polyclonal” mixture of the anti-C1 MAb, along with an anti-A2 and 2 anti-C2 MAbs was added. Plasma from eight patients with hemophilia A and inhibitors was tested. Hemostatic correction by OBI-1 was assessed by thrombin generation measurement (Calibrated Analytical Thrombography assay, Synapse BV, Maastricht, The Netherlands) and clot structure using electron microscopy. Epitope mapping of the inhibitor patient plasma was undertaken at a central laboratory (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with human/porcine FVIII hybrids as the antigen. Results: The results showed a dose-dependent and anti-porcine titer dependent correction of thrombin generation parameters (peak and ETP) with OBI-1 at concentrations equivalent to 100 IU/dL, 200 IU/dL, and 400 IU/dL, which paralleled a correction of the clot structure (number and diameter of fibrin fibres). These results were only dependent on the anti-porcine titer. In samples with high titers of anti-porcine inhibitor (&gt;10 BU), little or no restoration of the diminished thrombin generation was observed when various OBI-1 concentrations were added to the plasma. In the plasmas with high anti-human titers (≥10 BU/mL) the dominant epitope was C2 in 3 plasmas, A2 in 1 plasma, and indeterminate in 3 plasmas. The plasmas with no restoration of the thrombin generation with even the highest dose of OBI-1 all had antibody detected to more than one domain of FVIII or were not able to be mapped due to high porcine cross-reactivity. Conclusion: In vitro data obtained with spiking experiments using OBI-1 indicate that it has the potential to correct surrogate markers of hemostasis depending on the anti-porcine FVIII titer which may translate into in vivo effectiveness. Further investigation into the epitope specificity of responsive and non-responsive inhibitor plasmas correlation with effectiveness is warranted. Disclosures: Negrier: Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Honoraria, Research Funding. Meeks:Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Oldenburg:SOBI: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Catalyst: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Inspiration: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; LFB: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Grifols: Honoraria, Research Funding; CSL Behring: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Biotest: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Baxter: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Biogen Idec: Honoraria; Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Bordet:Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Poetzsch:Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Al Dieri:Synapse BV: Employment. Dargaud:Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Hemker:Synapse BV: Employment. Eckmann:Sanquin Diagnostic Services: Employment. Gomperts:Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Employment. Lee:Inspiration Biopharmaceuticals: Employment. </jats:sec