Filter Removes Prions in Blood

New prion filtration technology has been shown to reduce infectious prions from human red blood cells, the most widely transfused component.

Prion diseases such as variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) are of growing concern to blood services worldwide because of the potential for transmission through transfusion from asymptomatic donors. A study conducted by the American Red Cross (Washington, DC, USA) and the Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk, VA, USA) found that red blood cells filtered through a new system called the Leukotrap affinity prion reduction filter system showed mean values of 85.0% and 82.9% in vivo red cell recovery, exceeding the 75% mean required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Another study conducted at New York University School of Medicine (NY, USA) tested the filter against sporadic CJD, the most common form of prion disease that affects humans, which showed a 99.9% reduction of the prion. Still another study on blood processing showed that the new filter is effective in removing scrapie prions from different preparations of red cell concentrates at different temperatures, while maintaining normal cell qualities.

The Leukotrap filter was developed by Pall Corp. (East Hills, NY, USA). The system is currently under evaluation by the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and the English National Blood Service for integration into their respective practices as a blood safety measure to reduce the risk of vCJD transmission.

"The sporadic CJD study is one of a series of studies underscoring the filter's capability in reducing all types of prions from blood, including scrapie and mouse-adapted vCJD,” said Sam Coker, Ph.D., principal scientist, Pall Corp.





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