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Transmission of GB virus type C via transfusion in a cohort of HIV-infected patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND
GB virus C (GBV-C) infection is transmitted by blood exposure and associated with lower human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load and slower HIV disease progression. Few studies describe predictors of acute GBV-C infection following transfusion in HIV-infected patients.
METHODS
We used a limited-access database from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Viral Activation Transfusion Study, a randomized controlled trial of leukoreduced versus nonleukoreduced transfusions received by HIV-infected, transfusion-naive patients. Blood samples from 489 subjects were tested for GBV-C markers in pretransfusion and posttransfusion samples. We estimated the risk of acquiring GBV-C RNA and predictors of GBV-C acquisition, using pooled logistic regression.
RESULTS
GBV-C RNA was detected ≤120 days following the first transfusion in 22 (7.5%) of 294 subjects who were GBV-C negative before transfusion. The risk of GBV-C RNA acquisition increased with each unit transfused (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.11). Lower baseline HIV load and use of antiretroviral therapy were associated with subsequent GBV-C RNA acquisition, after control for units of blood transfused. Leukoreduced status of transfused units was not associated with GBV-C transmission.
CONCLUSIONS
Blood transfusion is associated with a significant risk of GBV-C acquisition among HIV-infected patients. Transmission of GBV-C by blood transfusion was inversely related to HIV load.

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    • Authors

    Vahidnia F, Petersen M, Rutherford G, Busch M, Assmann S, Stapleton JT, Custer B

    Institution

    Department of Epidemiology, Blood Systems Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA. FVahidnia@bloodsystems.org

    Source

    The Journal of infectious diseases 205:9 2012 May pg 1436-42

    MeSH

    Adult
    Antibodies, Viral
    Blood Transfusion
    CD4 Lymphocyte Count
    Female
    Flaviviridae Infections
    Follow-Up Studies
    GB virus C
    HIV
    HIV Infections
    Humans
    Logistic Models
    Male
    Prospective Studies
    RNA, Viral
    Viral Load
    Virus Activation

    Pub Type(s)

    Journal Article
    Multicenter Study
    Randomized Controlled Trial
    Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
    Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

    Language

    eng

    PubMed ID

    22438325