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. 2019 Jul 19;220(4):643-647.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz145.

Discovery of False Elite Controllers: HIV Antibody-Positive RNA-Negative Blood Donors Found To Be on Antiretroviral Therapy

Wendy Sykes  1 , Karin Van den Berg  2 , Genevieve Jacobs  3 , Adam Jauregui  4 , Nareg Roubinian  5 , Lubbe Wiesner  6 , Gary Maartens  6 , Ronel Swanevelder  3 , Brian Custer  4 , Michael Busch  4 , Ute Jentsch  3 , Edward L Murphy  4   5 , Marion Vermeulen  3 ; NHLBI Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-III (REDS-III)
Affiliations

Discovery of False Elite Controllers: HIV Antibody-Positive RNA-Negative Blood Donors Found To Be on Antiretroviral Therapy

Wendy Sykes et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: An increase in potential HIV elite controllers (EC) and anecdotal reports of antiretroviral therapy (ART) use among South African blood donors led us to verify EC status.

Methods: Stored plasma samples from potential EC were tested for ART drugs. Demographic and temporal associations were examined using multivariable logistic regression.

Results: Of 226 potential EC, 150 (66.4%) had detectable ART with increasing prevalence by year (OR = 7.57 for 2016 vs 2010, 95% confidence interval, 1.96-32.17).

Discussion: False presumptive EC status due to undisclosed ART represents a growing proportion of potential EC donors in South Africa coincident with the country's ART rollout.

Keywords: HIV; South Africa; antiretroviral therapy; blood donors; disclosure; elite controller.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The number of South African National Blood Service blood donations found to be potential HIV EC (Ab+/RNA−, squares), false presumptive EC (on ART, diamonds), and true presumptive EC (not on ART, triangles) between 2010 and 2016. The estimated number of persons on ART in the general South African population is given beneath the x-axis [1]. Abbreviations: Ab, antibody; ART, antiretroviral therapy; EC, elite controller; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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