An estimate of the number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive blood donations by HIV-seronegative donors in a northern Thailand HIV epicenter

J Infect Dis. 1996 Oct;174(4):870-3. doi: 10.1093/infdis/174.4.870.

Abstract

Despite mandatory antibody testing, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be transmitted from HIV-infected blood that is seronegative. The objective of this study was to estimate the probability of HIV-infected blood donations during the seronegative "window period" in a northern Thailand HIV epicenter. Thus, a retrospective cohort of repeat blood donors was created. With the assumptions that the probability of HIV seroconversion is distributed uniformly between the last HIV-negative and the first HIV-positive donation and that the seronegative window is 45 days, the rate of window-period donations was calculated by multiplying the incidence by the window duration. Of 11,232 repeat donors, 273 seroconverted during 9,518,863 person-days of observation (i.e., a window-period donation rate of 1/775). There were more window-period donations among 21- to 30-year-old men and in donors replacing blood of friends or relatives. Additional measures are needed to reduce the high number of HIV-infected window-period donations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Blood Donors*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • HIV Seronegativity*
  • HIV Seropositivity*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Thailand