FDA recommends cell/tissue donor screening to reduce Zika transmission risk

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday issued recommendations for screening donors of human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) to reduce the potential risk of Zika virus transmission. Living donors of HCT/Ps should be considered ineligible if in the past six months they were diagnosed with Zika virus infection, in an area with active Zika virus transmission or had sex with a male with either of those risk factors, FDA said. Living donors of umbilical cord blood, placenta or other gestational tissues also should be considered ineligible if they have had any of those risk factors at any point during their pregnancy, the agency said. Deceased donors of HCT/Ps should be considered ineligible if they were diagnosed with Zika virus infection in the past six months, according to the guidance. “A deferral period of six months was chosen because of the limited data available on the length of time the virus can persist in all tissues,” FDA said.