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Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) associated with transfusions
The New England Journal of Medicine
|January 12, 1984
Summary
Blood transfusions may transmit acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Some AIDS patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia had no known risk factors but had received blood components, suggesting transfusion-associated AIDS transmission.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported on patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
- Investigating AIDS cases with no recognized risk factors is crucial for understanding transmission routes.
Observation:
- Among 2157 reported AIDS cases, 64 patients presented with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and no identifiable risk factors.
- Eighteen of these patients (28%) had received blood components within five years prior to illness onset.
Findings:
- Patients with transfusion-associated AIDS were statistically more likely to be white and older than other AIDS patients lacking known risk factors.
- Blood transfusions occurred 15 to 57 months before AIDS diagnosis, involving a median of 14 donors.
- High-risk donors were identified in completed investigations, with some exhibiting low T-cell helper/suppressor ratios and lymphadenopathy.
Implications:
- These findings provide strong evidence for the potential transmission of AIDS through blood transfusions.
- This highlights the importance of blood screening and donor selection to prevent transfusion-associated infections.
- Further research into bloodborne pathogen transmission is warranted to enhance transfusion safety.