Acquired immuno deficiency syndrome (AIDS) . its impact on blood transfusion services
Bhatia, H.M.
Indian Journal of Medical Sciences 41(4): 88-91
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5359 PMID: 3610280 Document Number: 368152
About 3.2% of worldwide cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been attributed to the transfusion of whole blood and plasma products. An estimated 66% of recipients of blood and blood products infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) develop HIV seropositivity. This calls attention to the need to develop strict guidelines to protect clients of blood transfusion services. Toward this end, the International Society of Blood Transfusion has made the following recommendations: donors belonging to high-risk groups for HIV infection should be excluded from donating blood; blood and plasma products should be screened for antibodies to HIV through laboratory tests with demonstrated reproducibility and specificity; donors should be informed that their blood will be screened and procedures for confidential notification of any positive results should be outlines; it should be clearly stated on the label if a blood product has not been screened for HIV; and viral inactivation, including heat treatment, should be mandatory for the processing of all plasma products. Interns of the situation in India, the director of the Institute of Immunohematology in Bombay has made these recommendations: the general public should be educated about the fact that the donation of blood cannot lead to AIDS; an effort should be made to obtain blood products from volunteers rather than professional donors or blood banks; donors whose history includes risk factors for HIV infection should have their blood screened; confidentiality must be a guiding principle in all cases; all source material and final plasma products should be screened for antibodies to HIV; and all plasma products should be heat inactivated before sale.