Transmission of HIV and AIDS by plasmapheresis for Guillain-Barré syndrome.

A 58-year-old patient suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome was successfully treated with plasma exchange therapy. Two- and half year later she developed AIDS. The only risk factor of this patient was plasmapheresis and it appeared, retrospectively, that one of the plasma donor samples contained antibodies to HIV. Knowing the exact moment of infection of our patient we documented the transfer of HIV antibodies from donor to patient, a HIV antigen peak two weeks after transmission (reflecting the initial virus replication in the patient) and subsequently the occurrence of patients' HIV antibodies and the reoccurrence of HIV antigen at the moment AIDS was diagnosed.