Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) associated with transfusions

Abstract

Of 2157 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) whose cases were reported to the Centers for Disease Control by August 22, 1983, 64 (3 per cent) with AIDS and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia had no recognized risk factors for AIDS. Eighteen of these (28 per cent) had received blood components within five years before the onset of illness. These patients with transfusion-associated AIDS were more likely to be white (P = 0.00008) and older (P = 0.0013) than other patients with no known risk factors. They had received blood 15 to 57 months (median, 27.5) before the diagnosis of AIDS, from 2 to 48 donors (median, 14). At least one high-risk donor was identified by interview or T-cell-subset analysis in each of the seven cases in which investigation of the donors was complete; five of the six high-risk donors identified during interview also had low T-cell helper/suppressor ratios, and four had generalized lymphadenopathy according to history or examination. These findings strengthen the evidence that AIDS may be transmitted in blood.