title: High seroprevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus in a Brooklyn maintenance hemodialysis unit: preliminary observations.
abstract: A preliminary study of 86 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis in an urban unit serving a large number of intravenous drug addicts revealed that the HIV seroprevalence rate was 27% (27 of 70 screened). Twenty-three of 26 (89%) positive patients were intravenous addicts, and the remaining four included Haitian immigrants and gay men. There were no false positive ELISA reactions against HIV. No patient without a risk factor for HIV was seropositive, indicating an absence of nosocomial spread within a dialysis unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, SUNY-HSC, Brooklyn.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chirgwin
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Landesman
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D009519:New York City; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction