4th International AIDS Conference Stockholm, Sweden. — June 12-16, 1988

Int Conf AIDS. 1988 Jun 12-16;4:1.118 (abstract no. 1022)

Gillon, J¹, and Peutherer, J.F^2
1Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service South-East Regional Centre & Department of Transfusion Medicine, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh EH3 9HB; ²Department of Clinical Virology, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh.

Routine screening of blood donors for antibodies to HIV was introduced in October 1985 using the Wellcome assay. Between March and December 1986, 10 donors (7 female, 3 male mean age 31.3 years, range 22-43) had repeatably positive or equivocal results on Wellcome EIA with negative confirmatory tests (different EIA + Western Blot). These donors have been assessed clinically and followed up for mean of 9.6 months (range 7-12 months). There were no relevant clinical abnormalities. None of the donors admitted to membership of high risk groups for HIV. One donor had tuberculosis 1 year previously, fully treated. Another had returned from Kenya 10 months previously, but had no sexual contact. 2 females were taking the contraceptive pill. 3 donors reported that the donation had been slow. The donors were re-tested 4-6 times (mean 5.2). 7 became repeatably negative on Wellcome EIA, 3 remained reactive. Confirmatory tests were negative at each attendance in all cases. All 10 donors remained completely well. Where tested, HLA antibodies were not found and hepatitis B markers were negative. T4/TB ratio was measured in 8 donors and was abnormal in one (ratio 0.73, T4 0.3 × 10⁹/L). This donor had become pregnant at the time. In 6 donors T4 was less than 1.0 x 10⁹/L in spite of a normal ratio (range 0.35-0.95 × 10⁹/L).

Further follow-up will be reported, including sequential tests for HIV antigen and anti-HIV 2.

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1022

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