Retroactive blood‐borne pathogens detection of archival clotting factor concentrates throughout the 1970s and 1980s highlights virus contaminations

Abstract

Blood coagulation relies on a cascade of protein-protein interactions that comprise two primary downstream pathways (intrinsic and extrinsic 1 ). Individuals deficient in certain coagulation pathway proteins, also known as clotting factors, may present with primary or secondary bleeding disorders (coagulopathies). For example, hemophilia results from genetic alterations to factors VIII, IX or XI, 2 while secondary bleeding disorders may result from dysregulation of clotting factors caused by underlying conditions, 3-5 medication use, 6 or infection. [7][8][9] Concentrated coagulation factors derived from human blood donations have been made available for treating bleeding disorders since the 1970s. 10,11 However, therapeutic coagulationfactor use was found in the 1980s to be associated with a significantly increased risk of developing disease from the then newly discovered blood-borne pathogens (BBPs), such as human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1, discovered in 1983) and hepatitis C virus (HCV, discovered in 1990). [12][13][14][15] Measures were subsequently put into place throughout the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s to limit BBP spread to patients, who were using clotting factor products.