[Investigation of a transfusion contaminated by HTLV-I virus]

Rev Fr Transfus Hemobiol. 1991 May;34(3):185-97. doi: 10.1016/s1140-4639(05)80065-6.
[Article in French]

Abstract

In front of the successive development of an HTLV-I seroconversion and a neuromyelopathy in a French Caucasian following a cardiac transplantation, an ascendant epidemiologic investigation must be manage to search a risk factor or a possible blood donor contaminated with HTLV-I virus. We selected an HTLV-I seropositive donor whose RBC participated to the patient's transfusion. This woman from Martinique island was a regular donor in our blood center and a second investigation was initiated to examine the patients transfused with the blood products issued from her previous donation. Nine were identified and controlled among them a patient who has received a RBC was found HTLV-I seropositive. An evaluation of the infectivity of the different blood products according to their type and specificity has been done. These data confirm that transmission of the HTLV-I is possible through donation of healthy seropositive donor and can induce the development of associated pathology, and prove the importance of screening blood donors for HTLV-I antibodies.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Blood Donors
  • Erythrocyte Transfusion
  • HTLV-I Infections / transmission*
  • Heart Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Platelet Transfusion
  • Risk Factors
  • Transfusion Reaction*