[Blood donors seropositive for type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Epidemiologic characteristics and clinical course].

PURPOSES

To evaluate retrospectively the epidemiologic profile and clinical course of the HIV-positive voluntary blood donors in the Sant Pau's Hospital Blood Bank (Barcelona-Spain) between 1986 and 1993.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 119,345 blood donors were studied, and fifty seven such cases were identified. Risk behavior, causes of failure of the pre-donation procedures and clinical stage were analyzed. A follow-up of their infection was performed by the Infectious Disease Unit.

RESULTS

The mean age of 57 seropositive donors was 31 +/- 8 years. Prevalence of HIV-1 infection among donors was 0.48 per 1000. Forty four (77%) were male and 13 (23%) female. Forty three (75%) were first time donors while 14 (25%) were repeat donors. The causes for the failure of the self-deferral questionnaire were: 42 subjects did not consider that they had engaged in "risk" behavior, seven donors lied in order to know if they were HIV carriers and two cases were driven to donate due to social or family pressure. The distribution of these donors according to risk behaviour was: 30 (53%) heterosexual, 11 (20%) homosexual, 11 (20%) intravenous drug users and five (7%) with no identified risk. It was noted that HIV infection progressed more rapidly to AIDS in HIV - positive homosexual donors than in heterosexual subjects (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Heterosexual donors who maintain sexual contacts with different partners without prophylactic measures for HIV infection currently represent the highest risk group for transfusion-related HIV infection. Clinical evolution of HIV infection was faster and more devastating in the homosexual group than in the heterosexual group.