Inactivation of protozoan parasites in red blood cells using INACTINE PEN110 chemistry

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Abstract
BACKGROUND:The transmission of parasites, includingBabesia, plasmodia, andTrypanosoma cruzi, via transfusions is an important public health concern. INACTINE technology is a pathogen‐reduction process that utilizes PEN110, an electrophilic agent that inac‐tivates a wide range of pathogens by disrupting nucleic acid replication. The present study investigated the effect of PEN110 treatment on the viability of protozoa in RBCs.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:B. microti‐parasitized RBCs from infected hamsters were treated with PEN110 and inoculated to naïve animals. Parasitemia was detected by blood smears and PCR. Human RBCs infected withP. falciparumwere treated with PEN110 and incubated with fresh RBCs.P. falciparummultiplication was detected by blood smears. Human RBCs spiked withT. cruziand treated with PEN110 were analyzed for the presence of live parasites using in‐vitro infectivity assay or by inoculating susceptible mice.RESULTS:Treatment of RBCs infected withB. microtiorP. falciparumwith 0.01 to 0.1 percent (vol/vol) PEN110 resulted in parasite inactivation to below the limit of detection during 24 hours.T. cruziinoculated into human RBCs was inactivated below the limit of detection by 0.1 percent PEN110 after 3 hours.CONCLUSION:The study demonstrates that treatment of blood with PEN110 is highly effective in eradicating transfusion‐transmitted protozoan parasites.