title: Transmission of GB virus type C via transfusion in a cohort of HIV-infected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  GB virus C (GBV-C) infection is transmitted by blood exposure and associated with lower human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load and slower HIV disease progression. Few studies describe predictors of acute GBV-C infection following transfusion in HIV-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a limited-access database from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Viral Activation Transfusion Study, a randomized controlled trial of leukoreduced versus nonleukoreduced transfusions received by HIV-infected, transfusion-naive patients. Blood samples from 489 subjects were tested for GBV-C markers in pretransfusion and posttransfusion samples. We estimated the risk of acquiring GBV-C RNA and predictors of GBV-C acquisition, using pooled logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GBV-C RNA was detected ≤120 days following the first transfusion in 22 (7.5%) of 294 subjects who were GBV-C negative before transfusion. The risk of GBV-C RNA acquisition increased with each unit transfused (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.11). Lower baseline HIV load and use of antiretroviral therapy were associated with subsequent GBV-C RNA acquisition, after control for units of blood transfused. Leukoreduced status of transfused units was not associated with GBV-C transmission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood transfusion is associated with a significant risk of GBV-C acquisition among HIV-infected patients. Transmission of GBV-C by blood transfusion was inversely related to HIV load.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA. FVahidnia@bloodsystems.org
authors.forename: Farnaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vahidnia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assmann
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Stapleton
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Custer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D029407:GB virus C / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D019562:Viral Load; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral