Evaluating the risks posed by hepatitis E virus to blood supply safety

Abstract

Transfusion is an important field of clinical medicine, responsible for saving the lives of millions of people. However, concerns remain for patients' safety from adverse reactions and transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs). While risks from well-known TTIs (such as human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotrophic virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and Treponema pallidum) have been reduced in developed nations, developing countries struggle to maintain the minimum screening requirements for these infections.