Transmission of retroviruses by transfusion of screened blood in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

Article Abstract:

This study examined the risks of receiving either the AIDS virus or the virus responsible for human T cell leukemia from necessary blood transfusions which accompany cardiac surgery. In the design of this experiment, preoperative and postoperative blood samples were drawn from 4163 adults undergoing cardiac surgery who,in the course of their treatment, received 36,282 units of blood or blood components. All of the blood products which were given to the subjects had been screened for indications of AIDS contamination (i.e., HIV Antibodies). Only one case of HIV-1 transmission could be detected from administration of screened blood products; five cases of human T cell leukemia were detected. The observed risk of infection with AIDS virus by transfusion was .003 percent for each unit of blood products given; the rate for human T cell leukemia infection was .024 percent. The authors conclude that there is a very small risk of human T cell leukemia infection from transfused blood products that have been screened for antibodies to the HIV-1 virus, although the risk is 10-fold higher than the risk of infection with HIV-1.

Research, Evaluation, HIV (Viruses), HIV, Medical screening, Health screening, Retroviruses, Serology, HTLV (Viruses), HTLV viruses

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The declining risk of post-transfusion hepatitis C virus infection

Article Abstract:

Routine testing of blood donors for hepatitis C infection has decreased the number of patients who develop hepatitis C after a blood transfusion. Blood banks have routinely tested blood donors for markers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) since Oct 1986, and for HCV antibodies since May 1990. Of 912 patients who received a blood transfusion before donors were tested for HCV markers or antibodies, 35 became positive for HCV infection after surgery. Among 976 patients who received a blood transfusion after donor testing for HCV markers began, 15 became positive for HCV infection. Of 522 patients who received a blood transfusion after screening for HCV antibodies began, three became positive for HCV infection. Patients who receive a larger volume of blood have a higher risk of developing hepatitis C, regardless of the screening method used to test donor blood.

Hepatitis C, Hepatitis C virus

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Changes in T-lymphocyte subsets in intravenous drug users with HIV-1 infection

Article Abstract:

HIV infection may not progress more rapidly in intravenous (IV) drug users than in those who do not use IV drugs. Of 859 individuals between 18 and 49 years old who injected drugs within the past 10 years and had not developed AIDS, 152 were HIV-negative, 621 were HIV-positive, and 86 converted from HIV-negative to HIV-positive during the study. Levels of T-lymphocytes, or cells of the immune system, in the blood of these individuals was measured at six-month intervals over a two and a half year period. Levels of CD4 T-lymphocytes in HIV-1 positive individuals slowly decreased compared to the HIV-1 negative individuals over the two and a half year study period. But the decrease in CD4 T-lymphocyte levels was slower among HIV-positive IV drug users than among HIV-positive homosexual men in another study who had never used IV drugs.

Physiological aspects, HIV infection, HIV infections, Diseases, Drug addicts, Drug abusers, T cells

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