van der Poel C L, Lelie P N, Reesink H W, van Exel-Oehlers P J, Tersmette M, van den Akker R, Gonzalves M, Huisman J G
Red Cross Blood Bank Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Vox Sang. 1989;56(3):162-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1423-0410.1989.tb02020.x.
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.
