Transfusion of blood components from a donor with human T-lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) infection

Article Abstract:

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) causes adult T-cell leukemia, a blood cancer, and spastic myelopathy, a disease of the spinal cord. The type II virus (HTLV-II) causes hairy cell leukemia, another type of blood cancer, and exfoliative erythroderma, a skin disorder characterized by reddening of the skin. HTLV-II is not easily distinguished from HTLV-I, and may cause other diseases. HTLV-I can be transmitted by transfusion, and donor blood is routinely screened. The first documented case of HTLV-II transmission by blood transfusion is described. A 39-year-old black woman without a history of transfusion, intravenous drug abuse, or promiscuity was separated from her bisexual husband in 1977, who later died of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Only one of her other three sexual partners had a transfusion. The woman made 14 donations of blood between October 1984 and November 1988, and 11 of the 20 recipients of the components died before evaluation. However, HTLV-II infection was confirmed in the donor and in two of three living recipients who received this woman's platelets, cells involved in blood clotting. None of the five living recipients who received her red blood cells developed HTLV-II infection, possibly due to the death of the infecting cells during the preparation of the packed red blood cells. Recommendations for tracing recipients of HTLV-contaminated blood products are discussed. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Disease transmission, Blood platelets, Contamination, Blood products, HTLV-II (Virus), Platelet transfusion

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Human T-cell lymphotropic virus infection among blood donors in south Florida

Article Abstract:

The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and spastic myelopathy. Transmission of the virus can occur through the use of contaminated blood given by transfusion. Approximately 30,000 samples of blood donated in South Florida during 1984 and 1985 were tested for the presence of antibodies to HTLV-I, which indicate that the individuals were infected with the virus and the blood contained the virus. The southern Florida area was chosen for study because it is an endemic area of HTLV-I infection in the United States. It has a large population of individuals from the Caribbean, where the incidence of HTLV-I infections is high. Twenty-three (0.08 percent) of the samples contained antibodies to HTLV-I, resulting in a prevalence of 0.8 per 1,000 donations. Within the southern Florida area, prevalence varied; one area of Miami had a prevalence of 4.5 per 1,000 donations. Infected individuals were studied further. There was no association between infection and sex or age. However, there was an association with race/ethnicity, with 65 percent of the infected individuals being black. Often, HTLV-infected individuals are of the same household, are associated with individuals from the Caribbean, or have used intravenous drugs or associated with someone who did so. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Reports, Florida, Testing, Social policy, Demographic aspects, HTLV infections, Blood donors, Blood donation, Prevalence studies (Epidemiology)

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Virologic and immunologic characterization of symptomatic and asymptomatic primary HIV-1 infection

Article Abstract:

HIV-infected people who experience symptoms of HIV soon after becoming infected may progress to AIDS more quickly than people who are asymptomatic after acquiring HIV. Researchers analyzed measurements of HIV type 1 RNA and CD4+ cell counts in 13 symptomatic and 27 asymptomatic HIV-infected patients. HIV-1 levels peaked shortly after initial infection in both groups of patients. Three to six months after infection, asymptomatic patients had one-tenth the level of HIV-1 in blood plasma that symptomatic patients had. CD4+ cell counts were lower in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients 6 to 18 months after infection. Treatments that can control the amount of HIV in the body after HIV infection may control the progression of disease.

Development and progression, HIV infection, HIV infections

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