Screening for HIV I through the regional blood transfusion service in southwest Uganda: the Mbarara experience

Antibody screening for HIV has reduced transmission of AIDS by blood transfusion. Of the 12,768 units of blood donated to the Mbarara Regional Blood Bank between January 1992 and December 1994, 577 were found to be HIVI-positive using the ELISA technique. Percentage of positivity decreased from 5.4 in 1992 to 3.9 in 1994. Replacement donors had a higher positivity rate than volunteer donors. The females had more positives than the males. Distribution of the blood groups O and AB was similar between the Ugandan and English samples. There were differences in the blood groups A and B. The AB blood group which was only 4 per cent of the total had a higher percentage of HIV I positives. This preliminary finding should be confirmed by a more organized study.