New viruses pop up all over the place, and our bodies don’t even notice them.
But now, one new virus seems to be spreadable through blood transfusions, and it looks suspiciously like hepatitis C and pegivirus.
Hepatitis C can cause those infected to suffer permanent liver damage. Pegivirus, however, is largely harmless.
Creatively, researchers are calling this virus hepegivirus-1 (HHpgV-1).
They’ve found so far that it more resembles pegivirus, meaning it’s not yet a threat to humans. However, according to Dr. Ian Lpikin, co-author of the study that found this virus, “It’s the first transfusion-associated virus that’s been described in a long time. We don’t know if it is going to be a significant cause of human hepatitis.”
But study authors want people to know that just because it could be harmful doesn’t mean it is, and that blood transfusions are still considered safe. After all, says one of the study’s co-authors, it may even be good for people.
This is an interesting study, since they had to take blood samples from decades ago and analyze the virus in them. When they found the virus, the two patients who had it appear to have “cleared” it and experienced no symptoms.
Most hemophilia patients who need blood transfusions nowadays use genetically engineered products in order to avoid such viruses. However, blood transfusions are still common enough that it’s worth it to be as careful as possible.
Amit Kapoor, another co-author, put it best: “We just don’t know how many viruses are transmitted through the blood supply. There are so many viruses out there, and they need to be characterized in order to ensure that transfusions are safe.”
