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Biomedical subjects

M P Busch

Publications and source records attributed to M P Busch.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Rapid molecular epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus transmission.

Close sequence homology between strains of HIV-1 have been used to corroborate cases of epidemiologically identified transmission. As an alternative to extensive DNA sequence analysis, genetic relateness between pairs of HIV quasispecies was estimated using the reduced electrophoretic mobilities of HIV-1 envelope DNA heteroduplexes through polyacrylamide gels. All six infections acquired in a dental practice in the late 1980s and four of six infections acquired through blood product transfusions and sexual contact in 1984-1985 could be rapidly identified. A rising level of genetic diversity within HIV-1 subtype B facilitated the detection of later transmission events. Transmission linkages could be detected up to 4 years following infection. The simple and rapid technique of DNA heteroduplex tracking can therefore assist epidemiological investigations of HIV transmission and potentially of other genetically variable infectious agents.

Base Sequence↗

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: relationship of risk group and age to rate of progression to AIDS. Transfusion Safety Study Group.

Age differences among risk groups may account for rate differences in progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection to AIDS. Institutions in 6 US cities used a common protocol to study infected homosexual blood donors, recipients of blood components, and factor VIII-treated hemophiliacs. Follow-up was every 6 months. Actuarial risk for AIDS 8 years after infection was 51% among blood recipients, 36% among homosexual donors, and 24% among hemophiliacs. Significant risk group differences were explained by age differences among cohorts (medians of 61, 29, and 22 years, respectively). When age was adjusted for and both CD4 cell value and zidovudine treatment were used as time-dependent covariates, homosexual donors had more rapid progression than the other groups. Omitting Kaposi's sarcoma as an AIDS-defining condition removed any significant differences among risk groups except CD4 cell count and age. Thus, major factors in AIDS progression are age-related.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Dual human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection and recombination in a dually exposed transfusion recipient. The Transfusion Safety Study Group.

We studied a case in which a 2-month-old premature infant was concurrently transfused with packed erythrocytes from two different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive donors in late 1984. The two donors also each singly infected a second infant. Inspection of sequences from portions of the HIV-1 genomes in each of the two donors showed a close relationship to the strain in their respective singly exposed recipients. Inspection of sequences from the dually exposed recipient provided evidence of an individual simultaneously infected with two distinct HIV-1 strains, as well as recombination of the two strains in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Defective accessory genes in a human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected long-term survivor lacking recoverable virus.

We have been studying a patient who acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection via a blood transfusion 13 years ago. She has remained asymptomatic since that time. The blood donor and two other recipients have all died of AIDS. Although this patient has shown persistently strong seroreactivity to HIV type 1 (HIV-1) antigens by Western blot (immunoblot), she has been continually HIV culture negative in results from multiple laboratories over the last 6 years and has a very low viral burden. Her CD4+ T-cell count has fluctuated around a mean of 399 cells per microliters, with little change in lymphocyte subset percentages. Strong cellular immune responses to HIV-1 epitopes by this patient have been demonstrated. We now report the results of an intensive molecular genetic analysis of the HIV-1 proviral quasispecies from this patient sampled over 5 years. Long terminal repeat region sequences supported the argument for normal basal and Tat-mediated promoter activities. Sequential sequencing of the nef gene revealed a low frequency (8.3%) of defective genes and a striking lack of sequence evolution. Functional analysis of predominant nef genes by both a cell surface CD4 downregulation and a viral infectivity complementation assay showed wild-type function. In contrast, sequential analysis of an amplicon containing the vif, vpr, vpu, tat1, and rev1 genes revealed the presence of inactivating mutations in 64% of the clones. These data suggest that this patient, initially infected with a virulent swarm of HIV-1, is presently infected with a more-attenuated viral quasispecies as a result of effective host immunity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Human immunodeficiency virus infection among health care workers who donate blood.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among health care workers who donate blood. DESIGN: Point prevalence survey of blood donors. SETTING: 20 U.S. blood centers that participate in an ongoing interview study of HIV-seropositive blood donors. MEASUREMENTS: Prevalence rates for HIV in persons who reported being health care workers were measured directly for 6 of the 20 blood centers. For the other 14 centers, we derived the numerator from the interview study in the same manner used for the 6 centers; we estimated the denominator using blood collection logs at those centers and extrapolations from the survey completed at the 6 blood centers. RESULTS: Between March 1990 and August 1991, 8519 health care workers donated blood at 6 hospitals and other medical facilities. Three persons were HIV seropositive: Two reported being health care workers and having nonoccupational risk factors for HIV infection; the occupation and other possible risk factors of the third seropositive donor could not be determined. Therefore, the highest overall prevalence of HIV infection among health care worker donors at these 6 centers was 0.04% (3 of 8519; upper limit of 95% CI, 0.1%). We estimated that during the same period, approximately 36,329 health care workers were tested for HIV at all 20 centers. Twenty-seven persons infected with HIV who donated at hospitals were identified; 7 did not return for interviews, so their health care occupations could not be verified. Thus, the highest estimated overall prevalence of HIV infection among health care worker donors at the 20 centers was 0.07% (27 of 36,329; upper limit of CI, 0.1%). Of the 20 known health care worker donors, 11 reported nonoccupational risks for HIV infection; 3 of the remaining 9 health care workers described occupational blood exposures that could have resulted in transmission of HIV. CONCLUSIONS: Blood donors can serve as a sentinel cohort when evaluating the risk for occupationally acquired HIV infection. These findings suggest that among the many health care worker donors in this study, HIV infection attributable to occupational exposure was uncommon.

Adult↗

Detection of intracellular HIV in lymphocytes by flow cytometry.

Various permeabilization procedures and defined gating techniques were tested in order to optimize existing flow cytometric assays and devise a specific assay for the direct detection of intracellular HIV-1 antigens in clinical blood specimens. In our optimal procedure, blood lysed with Orthomune Lysing Reagent was fixed with 3.7% formaldehyde for 10 min at room temperature and then permeabilized with 0.2% Tween 20 for 15 min at room temperature. Cells from whole blood were labeled with either FITC-anti-p18 or FITC-anti-p24 monoclonal antibodies and PE-anti-Leu M9 (CD33) in order to exclude monocytes and granulocytes from the lymphocyte gate. The assay demonstrated that mean percentages of HIV p24 antigen positive cells were increased in patients with advanced disease. The assay in its present form is useful for monitoring disease progression and for monitoring the effects of antiviral therapy in individuals, but it is not currently sensitive enough to detect consistently the low levels of HIV infected peripheral blood cells in asymptomatic individuals.

Cell Membrane Permeability↗

Accuracy of supplementary serologic testing for human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II in US blood donors. Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study.

Blood donations in the United States have been screened for antibody to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) by HTLV-I enzyme immunoassay (EIA) since November 1988. Specimens repeatedly found to be reactive by EIA undergo confirmation by supplementary serologic tests. We assessed the accuracy of blood center testing of 994 HTLV-I EIA repeat-reactive specimens in five US blood centers between November 1988 and December 1991. Of 410 confirmed HTLV-I/II donations, 407 (99.3%) were infected with HTLV-I/II, as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (403 cases) and by repeat serologic testing (4 cases). The three false-positive results occurred in the first year of testing. Of 425 HTLV-indeterminate specimens, 6 (1.4%) were found to be infected by PCR (5 with HTLV-II and 1 with HTLV-I). None of 159 confirmatory test-negative donations was PCR positive. Of HTLV-I/II-seropositive specimens, 80.2% to 95.4% could be typed as HTLV-I or HTLV-II by type-specific serologic assays. These results support recommendations that HTLV-I/II-seropositive donors should be advised that they are infected with HTLV-I, HTLV-II, or HTLV-I/II (depending on results of type-specific assays). HTLV-indeterminate donors should be advised that their results only rarely indicate HTLV infection. HTLV confirmatory test-negative donors should be reassured that they are not infected with HTLV-I or HTLV-II.

Blood Donors↗

Epidemiologic background and long-term course of disease in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected blood donors identified before routine laboratory screening. Transfusion Safety Study Group.

BACKGROUND: The long-term course of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-related disease among seropositive blood donors has not been described. The enrollment and epidemiologic background of HIV-1-infected donors in the Transfusion Safety Study and their immunologic and clinical progression are described. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Through the testing of approximately 200,000 sera from donations made in late 1984 and early 1985, 146 anti-HIV-1-positive donors and 151 uninfected matched donors were enrolled. These two cohorts were followed with 6-month interval histories and laboratory testing. RESULTS: Seropositive donors detected before the institution of routine anti-HIV-1 screening disproportionately were first-time donors and men with exclusively male sexual contacts. The actuarial probability of a person's developing AIDS within 7 years after donation was 40 percent; the probability of a person's dying of AIDS was 28 percent. AIDS developed more often when the donor was p24 antigen-positive at donation. Over a 3-year period, significant decreases occurred in CD4+, CD2+CD26+, CD4+CD29+, and CD20+CD21+ counts, but not in CD8+ subsets, CD20+, or CD14+. CONCLUSION: The high proportions of first-time donations and exclusively homosexual men among seropositive donors suggest that test-seeking may have contributed to the high HIV-1 prevalence in the repository. Implementation of alternative test sites when routine donor screening began in 1985 may have averted many high-risk donations. The disease course in HIV-1-infected donors had the same wide spectrum of immunologic and clinical manifestations as were reported for other cohorts.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Demographic characteristics and prevalence of serologic markers among donors who use the confidential unit exclusion process: the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study.

BACKGROUND: Most blood centers utilize a confidential unit exclusion (CUE) process, intended to reduce the risk of transfusion-associated infectious diseases by allowing high-risk donors confidentially to exclude their blood from use for transfusion. The effectiveness of this method remains controversial. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Confirmatory or supplemental test results for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotropic virus type I, and hepatitis C virus, as well as hepatitis B surface antigen and syphilis and screening test results for antibodies to hepatitis B core (antigen) and alanine aminotransferase levels were obtained for approximately 1.8 million units donated during 1991 and 1992 at five blood centers within the United States. The prevalences of these infectious disease markers in units that the donors confidentially excluded (CUE+) and units that the donors did not exclude (CUE-) were calculated and examined within demographic subgroups. RESULTS: Units that were CUE+ were 8 to 41 times more likely to be seropositive for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, and syphilis and three to four times more likely to react for antibody to hepatitis B core (antigen) or to have elevated alanine aminotransferase levels than units that were CUE- (p < 0.001). The positive predictive value of CUE (the percentage of CUE+ units that were confirmed seropositive for any marker) was 3.5 percent, and the sensitivity of CUE (the percentage of confirmed-seropositive units that were CUE+) was 2.3 percent. CONCLUSION: The current CUE process has low sensitivity and apparently low positive predictive value, and in many cases, it appeared that donors misunderstood it. Yet, CUE was not a "random process," as CUE+ units were more likely to be seropositive for any infectious disease marker than CUE- units. This suggests that efforts to improve the CUE system may be warranted. As risk factors for transfusion-transmitted infection become more difficult to identify by history-based screening, however, such efforts may have limited effect.

Adolescent↗

Evaluation of indeterminate c22-3 reactivity in volunteer blood donors.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 25 percent of blood donor sera that are repeatably reactive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) on second-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA 2.0) are indeterminate on second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA 2.0), and over 76 percent of these results are due to single reactivity to the HCV recombinant antigen c22-3. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Data are presented on 46 volunteer allogeneic blood donors who were reactive on EIA2.0 and c22-3 indeterminate in RIBA 2.0. Index and follow-up samples were evaluated by using a panel of five synthetic peptide EIAs, a prototype strip immunoblot assay that uses synthetic peptides in addition to recombinant protein (RIBA 3.0), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HCV RNA. RESULTS: All 46 donations had normal alanine aminotransferase values; only 2 (4.3%) reacted for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. With a panel of 12 synthetic peptides spanning the entire sequence of the c22-3 recombinant antigen, 33 plasmas (72%) reacted to one peptide or none, including 19 plasmas with reactivity restricted entirely to the N-terminal peptide (1-15 amino acids) of c22-3. With RIBA 3.0, 28 donations (61%) were nonreactive, including 25 that reacted with one peptide or none in EIA. Of these 25 plasmas, 18 reacted with the N-terminal sequence only. All 46 index donations were tested by PCR; the single PCR-positive unit reacted with four HCV peptides, was positive by RIBA 3.0, and reacted for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. Twenty-six index donors were successfully recalled 3 to 7 months after their index donation. None seroconverted to positivity in RIBA 2.0, 1 was nonreactive, and 25 remained positive for c22-3 only. The restricted epitope reactivity in peptide EIA and RIBA 3.0 was maintained over time in all cases. All 26 of the follow-up samples tested negative by PCR. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the restricted peptide reactivity and PCR negativity of index and follow-up samples, it is concluded that the majority of c22-3 RIBA 2.0-indeterminate results are due to nonspecific cross-reactivity to restricted (principally, N-terminal) regions of HCV core antigen.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Declining efficacy of AIDS case list cross-referencing in human immunodeficiency virus look-back: 1981 through 1992.

BACKGROUND: The impact of AIDS case list cross-referencing in human immunodeficiency virus look-back was assessed. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Post-1977 blood donations from former donors identified by 11 collaborating health departments as having developed AIDS have been traced at Irwin Memorial Blood Centers since 1983. To assess the changing efficacy of AIDS case list cross-referencing in identifying infected donors and recipients, trends in cases reported through December 1992 were analyzed. RESULTS: Previous donors (n = 638) were identified from 21,917 AIDS case listings, for an overall match rate of 2.9 percent. The rate of detection of previous donors from listings of AIDS cases declined from a peak of 5.3 percent in 1985 to 1.6 percent in 1992. Overall, 86 percent (1824/2122) of donations by persons later reported on AIDS case lists were made prior to January 1983 when risk exclusion measures were initiated. Of the 212 known infected recipients linked to AIDS case list donors, 87 (41%) were previously identified by other look-back approaches. The rate of identification of infected recipients detected exclusively through AIDS case listings declined from a mean of 21 per year from 1984 to 1987 to a mean of 3 per year from 1990 to 1992. No transmissions have been documented from donations prior to 1979. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the declining yield of AIDS case list cross-referencing as a trigger for human immunodeficiency virus look-back. Continued reevaluation of look-back programs is essential so that their various components may be curtailed when justified.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Screening of blood donors for idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia.

BACKGROUND: The recent recognition of idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia (ICL) had led to concern that an unknown immunodeficiency virus may be transmissible by transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To evaluate the prevalence and significance of low CD4+ values among blood donors, CD4+ data on 2030 blood donors who were negative for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were compiled. Those with CD4+ values below ICL cutoffs (< 300 CD4+ T cells/microL, or < 20% CD4+ T cells) were recalled for follow-up investigations. Serial CD4+ data on 55 homosexual men who seroconverted during prospective follow-up and data on 139 anti-HIV-1-positive blood donors initially evaluated in 1986 were reviewed as well. RESULTS: Five seronegative donors (0.25%) had absolute CD4+ counts < 300 cells per microL and/or < 20 percent. On follow-up, all five donors had immunologic findings within normal ranges, lacked HIV risk factors, and tested negative for HIV types 1 and 2 and human T-lymphotropic virus type I and II infections by antibody and polymerase chain reaction assays. Four of five donors reported transient illness shortly after their low CD4+ count donations. The median interval from HIV-1 seroconversion to an initial CD4+ value below ICL CD4+ cutoffs was 63 months for infected homosexual men. Of 139 HIV-1-infected blood donors studied 1 to 2 years after seropositive donations, 34 (24%) had CD4+ counts < 300 cells per microL and/or < 20 percent. CONCLUSION: Low CD4+ counts are rare among anti-HIV-1-negative volunteer blood donors and are generally associated with transient illnesses. If any unknown virus progresses similarly to HIV-1, CD4+ count donor screening would be a poor surrogate for its detection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Transfusion transmission of retroviruses: human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II compared with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of transfusion transmission of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and HTLV type II (HTLV-II) has not been compared directly or to that of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The effects of refrigerator storage of the blood component on infectivity of the viruses needs definition. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The circumstances influencing the transmission of HTLV-I, HTLV-II, and HIV-1 via blood of donors whose sera were stored in a repository and who were retrospectively documented as having been infected at blood donation were examined. Confirmation and typing of anti-HTLV positivity in donors and recipients used polymerase chain reaction, supplemented by specific peptide testing. RESULTS: Overall, 27 percent (26/95) of the recipients of blood components from anti-HTLV-I- and -II-positive donors became infected (9 with HTLV-I and 17 with HTLV-II). No recipients of acellular blood components became infected with HTLV-I or -II. There was no probable transmission by components stored > 10 days. The rates of transmission for both viruses were similar: 0 to 5 days' storage, 17 (74%) of 23; 6 to 10 days, 8 (44%) of 18; and 11 to 14, 0 (0%) of 10 (trend, p = 0.0002). In comparison, 89 percent (112/126) of the recipients of anti-HIV-1-positive blood were infected regardless of component type, and no effect on transmission occurred with storage for < 26 days. CONCLUSION: Transfusion-transmitted HTLV-I and -II are similar. The data suggest that a donor's lymphocytes become noninfectious when they lose the ability to be activated or to proliferate.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Rare detection of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus genomes by polymerase chain reaction in seronegative donors with elevated alanine aminotransferase.

BACKGROUND: Since screening for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) was introduced in 1990, posttransfusion hepatitis has been reduced to nearly background levels. This has led to reconsideration of the value of testing donated blood for elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The contribution of ALT testing in detecting seronegative infection was evaluated by the performance of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV in plasma from ALT-elevated blood units. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Testing was performed on 375 units of plasma, derived from an equivalent of 47,500 blood donations, with a highly sensitive hemi-nested PCR procedure. Using a triplet of primers directed at the conserved regions of HBV DNA and 5'-noncoding regions of HCV RNA, the hemi-nested PCR assay can reliably amplify 10 viral molecules to levels detectable in ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels. Pools of plasma from groups of four donors were screened with hemi-nested PCR. For any reactive pools, the plasma from individual donors was retested twice on different aliquots. RESULTS: Two of 375 units, both with midrange ALT elevation, were repeatedly reactive in hemi-nested PCR (one each for HBV DNA and HCV RNA). However, samples from the two suspect donors tested 9 and 5 months later revealed no seroconversion, elevated ALT, or viral genomes in hemi-nested PCR. CONCLUSION: The lack of confirmed HBV or HCV infection in this study representing an estimated 47,500 voluntary blood donations suggests that routine ALT testing for further prevention of posttransfusion hepatitis after exclusion of HBV- and/or HCV-seropositive blood may be superfluous.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Circulating HIV-1-infected cell burden from seroconversion to AIDS: importance of postseroconversion viral load on disease course.

The purpose of this study was to characterize quantitative changes in circulating infected cells over the natural history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease in relation to clinical/immunological outcome. HIV-1 gag DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) co-cultures were performed on limiting dilutions of cryopreserved PBMC from specimens collected at enrollment and after 5 years of follow-up from nine seropositive subjects classified as rapid progressors, nine intermediate progressors, and 10 nonprogressors. Limiting dilution PCR was also performed on serial pre/postseroconversion specimens from 18 seroconvertors. By quantitative DNA PCR analysis, the infected cell burden was significantly higher at enrollment in the RP [mean of 330 PCR units (PCRU)/10(6) PBMCs] than in the IP (160 PCRU/10(6) PBMCs) and NP (73 PCRU/10(6) PBMCs) groups (p = 0.05). When results were analyzed on an individual level with proportional hazard regression, baseline PCRU (p = 0.05) and CD4 slope (p = 0.0007) were significantly associated with developing acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 5 years, but baseline tissue culture infectious units (TCIU) was not. The increase in PCR-positive cells after 5 years was modest in all three groups (two- to fivefold), whereas the proportion of PCR-positive cells that yielded virus in culture increased significantly (21- to 31-fold) over time in all three groups. Infected cell burden in postseroconversion specimens was relatively stable within each subject, but varied greatly (from 1.6 to 1,024 PCRU/10(6) PBMCs) among subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Identification of low-level contamination of blood as basis for detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA in anti-HIV-negative specimens.

The significance of detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in seronegative or seroconverting (SC) subjects remains controversial. In a previously reported study, we identified a case in which a specimen collected 12 months before seroconversion (pre-SC) was found repeatedly to be PCR positive in three experienced laboratories, while the 6-month pre-SC bleed was PCR-negative; PCR-based human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQA and -DRB typing of serial peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from this case did not indicate a specimen mix-up or labeling error. To further investigate this case, we used HIV env sequence and DNA heteroduplex gel-shift analyses to characterize HIV quasispecies present in serial pre- and post-SC specimens. HIV env sequences and gel-shift pattern analyses from the 12-month pre-SC versus post-SC samples indicated that markedly distinct quasispecies were present, suggesting possible abortive infection followed by reinfection and subsequent seroconversion. However, the HIV burden of this pre-SC sample was very low (1 provirus/10(6) PBMCs), and the quasispecies was highly heterogeneous, findings suggesting long-term rather than recent HIV infection. To test the hypothesis that the index pre-SC sample was PCR positive owing to trace blood contamination during initial processing, we analyzed the three seropositive samples collected on the same date in 1985. One of these samples was highly related to the index pre-SC sample by env sequence and gel-shift methodologies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗