HTLV-III/LAV antibody and immune status of household contacts and sexual partners of persons with hemophilia
Jason, J.M.; McDougal, J.S.; Dixon, G.; Lawrence, D.N.; Kennedy, M.S.; Hilgartner, M.; Aledort, L.; Evatt, B.L.
JAMA 255(2): 212-215
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0098-7484 PMID: 3001375 DOI: 10.1001/jama.1986.03370020058027Document Number: 343877
We evaluated the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III/LAV) antibody and immune status of 88 persons living with and/or sexual partners of 43 hemophiliacs, 12 of whom had AIDS, five of whom had AIDS-related complex (ARC), 17 of whom were clinically well but HTLV-III/LAV antibody positive, and nine of whom were well and HTLV-III/LAV antibody negative. No nonhemophilic household contacts (0/50) of healthy hemophiliacs were HTLV-III/LAV antibody positive; two of 33 nonhemophilic AIDS/ARC contacts were positive. One was a spouse and one a sexual partner of a hemophiliac. One of these antibody-positive contacts herself had AIDS, and one had ARC. Antibody-negative, nonhemophilic contacts of AIDS/ARC and of antibody-positive hemophiliacs had significantly lower numbers of lymphocytes, T helper lymphocytes, and T suppressor lymphocytes than did contacts of antibody-negative hemophiliacs. We conclude that risk of HTLV-III/LAV transmission may exist for spouses and/or sexual contacts of hemophiliacs with AIDS/ARC, but we cannot now determine the risk for contacts of asymptomatic hemophiliacs.