A new warning system has been launched to monitor donated blood as fears grow of newly emerging viruses potentially reaching the UK.
Health experts fear some diseases that are not currently present in the UK could pose a threat in the future due to climate change.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) researchers will examine samples taken from blood donors for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus and Usutu virus.
No human cases of Usutu or West Nile viruses contracted in the UK have been identified.
But Usutu has been found in birds in the UK and mosquitos that can spread West Nile virus have been recently detected in the south of England.
TBEV has been found in a small number of ticks in the UK, and four cases of TBEV infection that were likely acquired via a tick bite in the UK, have been reported so far.
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Heli Harvala, consultant medical virologist for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “This targeted sampling of donors provides a response capability in the event of future infectious disease threats to blood safety arising from climate change.”
Dr Amanda Semper, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “This new programme will help deepen our surveillance, acting as an early warning of infections for when they do arrive here, further strengthening our ability to detect them early.”
Initially, the new project will see 5,000 blood samples taken from consenting blood donors over the next few months.
These samples will be analysed for viruses alongside the donor’s travel history, potential exposure to infection and their vaccinations.
The “Codonet” blood sample archive will be held by NHSBT at its Oxford blood centre and will link with UKHSA surveillance programmes, which monitor the spread of these infections in the general population.
To find out more about blood donation visit blood.co.uk or the GiveBloodNHS app or call 0300 123 23 23.