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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305360
Title: Pathogen reduction in human plasma using an ultrashort pulsed laser

Author
item SHAW-WEI, TSEN - Washington University
item Kingsley, David
item KIBLER, KAREN - Arizona State University
item JACOBS, BERT - Arizona State University
item SIZEMORE, SARA - Arizona State University
item VAIANA, SARA - Arizona State University
item ANDERSON, JEANNE - Barnes-Jewish Hospital
item KONG-THON, TSEN - Arizona State University
item ACHILEFU, SAMUEL - Washington University

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2014
Publication Date: 11/5/2014
Citation: Shaw-Wei, T., Kingsley, D.H., Kibler, K., Jacobs, B., Sizemore, S., Vaiana, S., Anderson, J., Kong-Thon, T., Achilefu, S. 2014. Pathogen reduction in human plasma using an ultrashort pulsed laser. PLoS One. 9(11)e111673.

Interpretive Summary: Previous work has shown that 425 nm femtosecond pulsed laser light is capable of non-thermally inactivating both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses. In this report, the potential use of 425 nm laser light to be used as a means of sanitizing blood plasma is evaluated. We show that damage to plasma and clotting factors is minimal while human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis A virus, and murine cytomegalovirus are inactivated by laser treatment. This work serves as proof-of-principle that 425 nm laser treatment can be used to sanitize plasma in a manner that is superior to other currently available technologies.

Technical Abstract: Pathogen reduction is an ideal approach to ensure the continued safety of the blood supply against emerging pathogens. However, the currently licensed pathogen reduction techniques are ineffective against non-enveloped viruses, and they introduce chemicals with concerns of side effects which prevents their widespread use. In this report we demonstrate the inactivation of both enveloped and nonenveloped viruses using a chemical-free method, a visible ultrashort pulsed laser. Laser treatment resulted in clinically relevant reductions in human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis A virus, and murine cytomegalovirus in human plasma. Laser-treated plasma showed good retention of coagulation factors at a level comparable to other pathogen reduction methods currently in use. These results highlight the potential of ultrashort pulsed lasers as a method for chemical-free, broad-spectrum pathogen reduction in human plasma.