There is very little information on the clinical spectrum and the incubation period among AIDS patients in Latin America. This study reports the clinical spectrum, survival, and the incubation period for a group of Mexican patients infected with HIV-1 as a result of contaminated blood transfusion. We analyzed data from 39 patients of whom date of transfusion and diagnosis were known. The clinical spectrum of the disease was compared with a group of AIDS Mexican patients infected by sexual route. The prevalence distribution of opportunistic infections was similar in both groups. However, there was a significant difference in the distribution of opportunistic malignancies, i.e., Kaposi's sarcoma was observed only in the homosexual group. AIDS developed within 48 months after infection (3% within 12 months after transfusion, 50% within 29 months, 75% within 36 months, and the remaining within four years). The mean survival was of nine months after AIDS is made, the survival in this group of AIDS Mexican patients was similar to that observed in other HIV-1 exposed risk groups in Mexico. These findings suggest that the route of exposure to HIV-1 may have prognostic implications in the natural history of this infection in the Mexican population.
PIP: Transfusions-associated AIDS represents 14.7% of total AIDS cases reported to the National Council of AIDS in Mexico. The incidence of HIV infection via this route and the resulting related prevalence of AIDS patients have rapidly increased since 1987 as a result of the high seroprevalence of HIV-1 infection among the pool of paid blood donors; 7.2% of 9100 donors screened between June and November 1986 were HIV-seropositive. This paper presents the clinical spectrum, survival, and incubation period for 39 Mexican patients with AIDS infected with HIV-1 from contaminated blood transfusions. The authors compare these data with corresponding information on a group of 107 homosexual Mexican AIDS patients at the National Institute of Nutrition infected with HIV through sexual intercourse. The former group was comprised of 13 men and 26 women of mean age 38.8 years over the range 2-76 years from 3 hospitals in Mexico City. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine mean survival. The prevalence distribution of opportunistic infections was similar between groups. The distribution of opportunistic malignancies was, however, significantly different between groups, with Kaposi's sarcoma being present among only the homosexuals (47%). Herpes zoster was present among 21% of those infected via transfusion, but in only 7% of the homosexuals. AIDS developed within 48 months after infection in the transfusion-infected individuals and they survived for a mean period of 9 months after being diagnosed with AIDS. This average survival period is similar to that observed in other HIV-1 exposed risk groups in Mexico. These findings suggest that the route of exposure to HIV-1 may have prognostic implications in the natural history of infection in the Mexican population.