HL Deb 05 December 2002 vol 641 cc123-4WA
Lord Clement-Jones

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In light of the recent discovery of West Nile virus in the United Kingdom and recent transmission issues relating to the virus in the United States (a) what plans they are making to prevent spread of the virus through blood and plasma transfusions in the United Kingdom; and (b) what validation studies were conducted to ensure that methylene blue inactivation of United States plasma will remove the risk of transmission of pathogenic viruses, including WNV, from United States-sourced blood and plasma products available in the United Kingdom. [HL26]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

There have been no human cases of West Nile fever virus infection in the United Kingdom and the risk of transmitting the virus by blood transfusion is minimal. There are currently no plans to defer donors from donating blood in the UK solely on the grounds that they have recently visited the United States. However this situation is being kept under review. Plasma is currently imported from the United States for the production of plasma products, including fresh frozen plasma for babies and young children born after 1 January 1996, as a precaution against the theoretical risk of vCJD transmission. Viral inactivation of these products is carried out as a safety measure to remove the risk to patients of transfusion transmittable viruses, including West Nile fever virus, should it be present.

Methylene blue is a commercial product produced by Macopharma. Data received by the National Blood Service show that methylene blue is highly effective in destroying the West Nile fever virus.