Hepatitis E virus (HEV)

As most recipients of blood components were immunocompromised haemato-oncology or post transplant patients, symptomatic hepatitic illness was not seen. One surgical patient developed mild hepatitis 5 weeks post transfusion. Exact timing of first detectable RNA cannot be quoted as samples were available at different time points, but viraemia could become detectable some months post transfusion and the study group elected to follow up recipients up to 16 weeks post- transfusion to exclude transmission. At the point of viral RNA clearance, transient transaminitis could be occasionally detected. Length of viraemia was prolonged and directly correlated with increased level of immunosuppression.