       Document 0176
 DOCN  M9620176
 TI    [The extent of transfusion-associated HIV infections in Switzerland
       until 1994: an updated estimate]
 DT    9602
 AU    Zwahlen M; Bosshard H; Kammerlander R; Frey-Wettstein M; Marti B;
       Somaini B; Abteilung Epidemiologie und Infektionskrankheiten, Bundesamt
       fur; Gesundheitswesen, Bern.
 SO    Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1995 Sep 9;125(36):1663-72. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96068538
 AB    OBJECTIVE: The first report on transfusion-associated HIV infections was
       published in the USA in 1982. The first case reports in Switzerland were
       published in 1986. So far there has never been a methodologically sound
       answer to the question of how many persons were infected with HIV by
       receiving transfusions in Switzerland before the introduction of
       universal HIV blood donor screening. METHODS: The following available
       data sources were analyzed simultaneously: firstly, the results of the
       look-back study conducted in 1993, secondly, the reports of HIV
       infections and AIDS cases in the national surveillance system, and,
       thirdly, the claims for compensation for HIV-infected transfusion
       recipients and hemophiliacs. Two methodologically different and
       independent estimates were obtained. Firstly, the coverage of the
       look-back study was estimated, which made it possible to calculate the
       total number of documentable transfusion-associated HIV infections in
       Switzerland. Secondly, matching was performed on the cases in the
       look-back study and the reports in the national surveillance system.
       Applying formulas of capture-recapture designs provided a second
       estimate of the total number of documentable transfusion-associated HIV
       infections. The claims for compensation were used to corroborate the
       estimates obtained. RESULTS: The two methods produced almost identical
       figures which were corroborated by the number of claims for
       compensation. It is therefore estimated that 80 to 100 persons in
       Switzerland may have been diagnosed as having HIV infection because of
       transfusions in Switzerland in the years after 1980. The last five known
       infections occurred in 1986 (four) and, after termination of the
       look-back study, in 1994 (one). However, the estimate of 80 to 100 does
       not include individuals who were infected before 1986 and died
       soon--within weeks or a few months--after the transfusion without
       diagnosis of HIV infection being possible. CONCLUSION: This estimate of
       the total number of transfusion-associated HIV infections in Switzerland
       is approximately half earlier published ones. In addition, the present
       study will probably reduce the remaining uncertainties about the size of
       these iatrogenic HIV infections in the 1980s.
 DE    Blood Component Transfusion/ADVERSE EFFECTS  Blood Transfusion/*ADVERSE
       EFFECTS  English Abstract  Epidemiologic Methods  Female  Human  HIV
       Infections/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*TRANSMISSION  Male  Retrospective Studies
       Switzerland/EPIDEMIOLOGY  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

