No SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in the convalescent plasma of COVID-19 patients with different disease severity

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 653 - 655
• Main Authors: Nomoto, Hidetoshi, Kutsuna, Satoshi, Okuma, Kazu, Kuramitsu, Madoka, Tezuka, Kenta, Ikebe, Emi, Saito, Sho, Kinoshita, Noriko, Terada, Mari, Endo, Mio, Suzuki, Tetsuya, Miyazato, Yusuke, Nakamoto, Takato, Inada, Makoto, Hamaguchi, Isao, Ohmagari, Norio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2021; Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Convalescent plasma; Coronavirus 2019; COVID-19 - blood; COVID-19 - therapy; Female; Humans; Immunization, Passive; Male; Middle Aged; Passive immunization; RNA; RNA, Viral - blood; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Severity of Illness Index; FDA; RNA; CPT; Coronavirus 2019; Convalescent plasma; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; COVID-19; NIID; SARS-CoV-2; SNS; JRC; Passive immunization; NCGM
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.01.004

Convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT), a potential therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), requires strict quality control of the donor blood. Whether to confirm the disappearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA (RNAemia) in convalescent donor blood or not is unclear. Reports recommending the proof of viral disappearance from the blood are controversial. Foreseeing CPT in treating COVID-19 patients in Japan, we investigated RNAemia in 100 convalescent donors with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19. Between April 30 and July 30, 2020, we measured RNAemia in the plasma samples of donors with resolved COVID-19. Data on patients’ demographics, comorbidities, pneumonia, treatment, and real-time polymerase chain reaction results for SARS-CoV-2 were collected. Date of onset of initial symptoms or date of positive testing (for asymptomatic patients) were self-reported by the patients. Disease severity was defined as: no, mild, moderate oxygen demand, or severe (requiring mechanical ventilation). Of 100 donors (58 males [58.0%]; median age, 47 [range 22–69] years) screened as of July 30, 2020, 77 (77.0%); 19 (19.0%); and 4 (4.0%) had mild, moderate, and severe disease, respectively. Median time between onset and testing was 68.5 (range, 21–167) days. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in any of the plasma samples. RNAemia was not found in recovered COVID-19 patients at least 21, 27, and 57 days after the onset of mild, moderate, and severe symptoms. Our study may contribute to determining a suitable time for collecting convalescent plasma from COVID-19 patients and to future CPT use.