TY - JOUR
T1 - Absence of HIV Infection in Blood Donors with Indeterminate Western Blot Tests for Antibody to HIV-1
AU - Jackson, J. Brooks
AU - Macdonald, Kristine L.
AU - Cadwell, Jane
AU - Sullivan, Carolyn
AU - Kline, William E.
AU - Hanson, Margaret
AU - Sannerud, Kim J.
AU - Stramer, Susan L.
AU - Fildes, Nicola J.
AU - Kwok, Shirley Y.
AU - Sninsky, John J.
AU - Bowman, Robert J.
AU - Polesky, Herbert F.
AU - Balfour, Henry H.
AU - Osterholm, Michael T.
PY - 1990/1/25
Y1 - 1990/1/25
N2 - To determine whether apparently healthy persons who have had repeatedly reactive enzyme immunoassays and an indeterminate Western blot assay for antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are infected with HIV-1 or HIV-2, we studied 99 such volunteer blood donors in a low-risk area of the country. The subjects were interviewed about HIV risk factors. Coded blood specimens were tested again for HIV-1 antibody (by two different enzyme immunoassays, a Western blot assay and a radioimmunoprecipitation assay) and for HIV-2 antibody by enzyme immunoassay, for HIV-1 by the serum antigen test, for HIV-1 by culture, for human T-cell leukemia virus Type I or II antibody by enzyme immunoassay, and for sequences of HIV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction. Of the 99 blood donors, 98 reported no risk factors for HIV-1 infection; 1 donor had used intravenous drugs. After a median of 14 months (range, 1 to 30) from the time of the initial test, 65 subjects (66 percent) were still repeatedly reactive for HIV-1 antibody on at least one immunoassay. In 91 subjects (92 percent) the Western blot results were still indeterminate, whereas in 8 they were negative. No donor met the criteria for a positive Western blot assay for HIV-1, and none had evidence of HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection on culture or by any other test. We conclude that persons at low risk for HIV infection who have persistent indeterminate HIV-1 Western blots are rarely if ever infected with HIV-1 or HIV-2. LICENSED enzyme immunoassay kits for screening the blood of volunteer blood donors for antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have been available since March 1985.1 The blood from donors who have been found to be repeatedly reactive on an enzyme immunoassay for HIV-1 antibody has not been used in transfusion or manufactured into other products capable of transmitting infectious agents.2 To verify the presence of HIV-1 antibody in a repeatedly reactive sample, the Western blot assay3 has most often been used as a confirmatory test in the United States.4 This assay typically reveals six to nine characteristic…
AB - To determine whether apparently healthy persons who have had repeatedly reactive enzyme immunoassays and an indeterminate Western blot assay for antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are infected with HIV-1 or HIV-2, we studied 99 such volunteer blood donors in a low-risk area of the country. The subjects were interviewed about HIV risk factors. Coded blood specimens were tested again for HIV-1 antibody (by two different enzyme immunoassays, a Western blot assay and a radioimmunoprecipitation assay) and for HIV-2 antibody by enzyme immunoassay, for HIV-1 by the serum antigen test, for HIV-1 by culture, for human T-cell leukemia virus Type I or II antibody by enzyme immunoassay, and for sequences of HIV DNA by the polymerase chain reaction. Of the 99 blood donors, 98 reported no risk factors for HIV-1 infection; 1 donor had used intravenous drugs. After a median of 14 months (range, 1 to 30) from the time of the initial test, 65 subjects (66 percent) were still repeatedly reactive for HIV-1 antibody on at least one immunoassay. In 91 subjects (92 percent) the Western blot results were still indeterminate, whereas in 8 they were negative. No donor met the criteria for a positive Western blot assay for HIV-1, and none had evidence of HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection on culture or by any other test. We conclude that persons at low risk for HIV infection who have persistent indeterminate HIV-1 Western blots are rarely if ever infected with HIV-1 or HIV-2. LICENSED enzyme immunoassay kits for screening the blood of volunteer blood donors for antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have been available since March 1985.1 The blood from donors who have been found to be repeatedly reactive on an enzyme immunoassay for HIV-1 antibody has not been used in transfusion or manufactured into other products capable of transmitting infectious agents.2 To verify the presence of HIV-1 antibody in a repeatedly reactive sample, the Western blot assay3 has most often been used as a confirmatory test in the United States.4 This assay typically reveals six to nine characteristic…
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U2 - 10.1056/NEJM199001253220402
DO - 10.1056/NEJM199001253220402
M3 - Article
C2 - 2403658
AN - SCOPUS:0025138987
SN - 0028-4793
VL - 322
SP - 217
EP - 222
JO - New England Journal of Medicine
JF - New England Journal of Medicine
IS - 4
ER -
