Procedure To Eliminate Prion Contamination in Blood

A new procedure for cleaning the production equipment of plasma-derived therapies has the capacity to eliminate the theoretical risk of prion contamination, according to a new study.

Prions are infectious proteins thought to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as mad cow disease, and its human form, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Although prions have never been found in blood or plasma of patients with CJD, there are concerns that minute amounts from a donor may contaminate equipment used for producing plasma derivatives. The data suggest that even if prions were present in the plasma, they would not adhere to the surface of the equipment and would be removed by the standard cleaning process. The study was published in December 2002 on the website of the American Society of Hematology.

"This study should benefit the entire hematology community and further basic scientific knowledge about prions,” said Henry Baron, senior director of medical and scientific affairs at Aventis Behring LLC (King of Prussia, PA, USA), which developed the procedure.




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