Transmission of human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II by blood transfusion. A retrospective study of recipients of blood components (1983 through 1988). The American Red Cross HTLV-I/II Collaborative Study Group.
We studied results of a "lookback" program involving laboratory testing and interviews of 133 recipients of prior donations from blood donors seropositive for human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II (HTLV-I/II) identified at 28 American Red Cross blood centers. The study was designed to explore the natural course of posttransfusion HTLV-I/II infection among individuals who received blood components from donors subsequently identified as being HTLV-I/II seropositive. Seventeen recipients were seropositive, an apparent transmission rate of 12.8%. Red blood cells and platelets were the implicated components, and red blood cells that were less than 6 days old had a transmission efficiency of 80%. Virus typing enabled documentation of primary and secondary transfusion transmission of HTLV-I and HTLV-II, including the direct transmission of HTLV-II by a donor with a history of intravenous drug use. We conclude that transfusion transmission of HTLV-I/II to approximately 700 recipients per year occurred in the United States before routine donor testing began in 1988.
Sullivan
M T
MT
American Red Cross Blood Services, Rockville, MD 20855.
Williams
A E
AE
Fang
C T
CT
Grandinetti
T
T
Poiesz
B J
BJ
Ehrlich
G D
GD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012698:Serologic Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D065227:Transfusion Reaction