A prospective time-course study on serological testing for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus with blood samples taken up to 48 h after death

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http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/content/60/7/920.abstract

A prospective time-course study on serological testing for human

immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus with blood

samples taken up to 48 h after death

Carolin Edler1,†,

Birgit Wulff1,†,

Ann-Sophie Schröder1,

Ina Wilkemeyer2,

ne Polywka3,

Meyer3,

Ulrich Kalus2,† and

Axel Pruss2,†

+ Author Affiliations

1Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE),

istrasse, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany

2University Tissue Bank, Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité –

Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany

3Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Hospital

Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), istrasse, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany

Correspondence

Axel Pruss axel.pruss@...

Received 4 November 2010.

Accepted 22 March 2011.

Abstract

The transmission of viral and non-viral infectious pathogens continues to be the

most serious of the potential adverse effects of allogenic tissue

transplantations. EU Directive 2006/17/EC stipulates that cadaveric blood

specimens for serology testing in the context of post-mortem tissue donation

must be taken not later than 24 h post-mortem. An expanded time slot would

significantly improve the availability of tissue donations, but there are no

significant data on the stability of infectious serology assays for anti-human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV), anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus

(HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBC core antigen (HBc) in samples

collected more than 24 h post-mortem. In this prospective study, serum samples

of 30 deceased persons were taken upon admission to the Institute of Forensic

Medicine (University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany) and at 12, 24, 36 and

48 h post-mortem. All samples were measured twice, first using the Abbott AxSYM

system, and then after ~9 months of storage at −70 °C using the BEP III

System with Siemens and Ortho reagents. For HIV, six deceased persons with a

pre-mortem HIV history were included. All samples (at committal and at 12, 24,

36, 48 h) were reactive. Indeterminate or false-negative results did not occur.

For HCV, 17 deceased persons with a pre-mortem HCV history were included; 16

samples were reactive up to 48 h and one was reactive at 36 h post-mortem (48 h

sample was not available). Indeterminate or false-negative results did not

occur. For HBV, nine deceased persons were included: five samples were initially

positive for HBsAg and remained positive up to 48 h, and eight of the samples

were reactive for anti-HBc up to 48 h and one up to 36 h post-mortem (48 h

sample was not available). Indeterminate or false-negative results did not

occur. These data suggest that infectious serological testing may be extended

for blood samples of potential tissue donors collected up to 48 h post-mortem to

detect antibodies or antigens for HIV, HBV and HCV.

↵† These authors share first and senior authorship.