Blood donors with indeterminate anti-p24gag reactivity in HIV-1 western blot: absence of infectivity to transfused patients and in virus culture.
During a follow-up period of 23-40 months, 7 regular blood donors had persistently, and 4 had intermittently indeterminate anti-p24gag reactivity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 Western Blot. Serological testing and viral cultures revealed that these donors had no signs of infection for HIV-1, HIV-2, human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-4, and HTLV-1. Extensive interviewing and physical examination of these donors revealed neither risk factors, nor signs of HIV infection in the tested donors. Ten recipients, who were transfused with blood products from 6 of these 11 anti-p24gag-positive donors, were traced back. Six months after transfusion, no serological or clinical signs of HIV-1, HIV-2, or HTLV-1 infection were observed in these patients. It is concluded that blood donors with persistent or intermittent anti-p24gag reactivity in HIV-1 Western Blot, without development of antibodies to other HIV-encoded proteins in later blood samples, do not transmit the described retroviruses to transfused patients.
van der Poel
C L
CL
Red Cross Blood Bank Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Lelie
P N
PN
Reesink
H W
HW
van Exel-Oehlers
P J
PJ
Tersmette
M
M
van den Akker
R
R
Gonzalves
M
M
Huisman
J G
JG
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000635:transmission; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins