Low risk of viral infection after administration of vapor‐heated factor VIII concentrate

A multicenter prospective study was carried out to evaluate whether a vapor‐heated factor VIII concentrate transmitted blood‐borne viral infections over a surveillance period of 15 months. Thirty‐five patients with hemophilia and von Willebrand disease who had never received any blood components were treated. Twenty‐eight were analyzed and found not to have non‐A,non‐B hepatitis. Sera from 20 of these 28 patients were also tested for the antibody to the hepatitis C virus. None had sero‐converted during the follow‐up period. None of the patients analyzed developed markers of the hepatitis B virus (n = 17) or the human immunodeficiency virus (n = 31). This vapor‐heated factor VIII concentrate carries a low risk of transmitting hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus infection. 1992 AABB