Hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA detection in Polish blood donors and likely transmissions through blood components during the 2017-2019 epidemic.

Based on our results, we propose a 6 month deferral after HAV infection and 14 days post HAV vaccination. The infectivity rate was below 30%. The HAV RNA testing could be considered as an additional safeguard against HAV transmission at the time of increased incidence of HAV infections in the general population.