HIV from donated blood revealed

[webfact]

HIV from donated blood revealed

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

A YOUNG THAI-JAPANESE man recently revealed he contracted the HIV virus via a blood transfusion given as part of his leukaemia treatment at a well-known private hospital in Bangkok 15 years ago.

 

But Bumrungrad International Hospital, where the man has received treatments for years, said the infected blood came from Thai Red Cross Society and it was likely the anonymous donor was in a “window period” – before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

 

The case has nevertheless triggered alarm and public questions over the safety of blood provided by hospitals and the Red Cross.

 

This 24-year-old man decided to make his predicament public only because he’d been barred from medical services at by the hospital. His parents chose not to sue when his infection was detected because Bumrungrad administrators promised to take the best possible care of him. 

 

After a decade of free treatments at the hospital, the family decided to switch to herbal medication, but the results were unsatisfactory so they returned to the hospital, only to be told the patient should seek treatment under the Bt30 universal healthcare scheme. 

 

“My son has had leukaemia since he was nine and so far we’ve spent nearly Bt7 million on his treatments,” the mother told reporters.

 

Her son initially received chemotherapy at Bumrungrad but his white-blood-cell count was low and 14 blood transfusions followed. 

 

“His condition improved with the transfusions, but after the 12th bag of blood, he suddenly started deteriorating,” the mother recounted, and soon after the hospital found he had HIV. 

 

Bumrungrad Hospital’s corporate communication division acknowledged last week that the patient had been treated at the hospital since 2004 and said it believed the infection came from blood from a donor who was in the HIV window period. 

 

Expressing regret for the patient’s plight, the public relations team said he’d been undergone 266 treatment sessions in the time he’d been cared for at the hospital. It said the hospital was committed to providing him aid in accordance with humanitarian principles. 

 

Dr Ubonwan Charoonrungrit, director of the Thai Red Cross Society’s National Blood Centre, said the risk of getting HIV via a blood transfusion was low, but it did exist.

 

“We are continuously improving the screening process for donated blood,” she said. 

 

Other medical professionals concur that blood screening is trustworthy, even if there remains a “one in a million” chance of infection. The key to avoiding such mishaps lies in donors being honest about their health conditions. 

 

Medical technologist Pakphum Dechhassadin, who runs the popular Facebook page “Mor Lab Panda”, shed light on the subject in a post on Friday. 

 

Screening devices can only detect the HIV virus about 11 days after exposure, he said, so blood will be accepted from donors in the interim “window period”. 

 

Noting that some people donate blood just to be tested for HIV for free, Pakphum warned they could be putting an innocent fellow human in grave danger. 

 

Instead, he said, get an HIV test at the Thai Red Cross Anonymous Clinic. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30369250

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-13

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[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Noting that some people donate blood just to be tested for HIV for free,

I hadn't thought of that ....... good tip!

[leeneeds]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

The key to avoiding such mishaps lies in donors being honest about their health conditions. 

Sure ! the honesty of donor's admitting un protected sex with all walks of life,

donated blood can be kept  for up to 42 days at fridge temp,

 the amount donated so clean blood is available when required, maybe more blood drives for the blood bank of hospitals, would eliminate the window period in such a high risk society 

 

[RJRS1301]

10 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

Sure ! the honesty of donor's admitting un protected sex with all walks of life,

donated blood can be kept  for up to 42 days at fridge temp,

 the amount donated so clean blood is available when required, maybe more blood drives for the blood bank of hospitals, would eliminate the window period in such a high risk society 

 

Window period can be up tp 3 months

[CaptainJack]

This, I have to respond to. I am a certified HIV Risk Reduction Counselor.   Fact! Many people do not know they are infected with HIV.   Period.  Straight,  gay and bisexual. 

 

This report from an infection transmitted 15 years ago is not relevant today, unless there is gross negligence involved. 

 

The new tests for DNA, RNA and antibodies are accurate.  Why has this article become news?  Why,  after 15 years reveal it now? 

 

The hospital needs to make clear to the public what their testing rules are today, not 15 years. 

 

https://www.avert.org/hiv-transmission-prevention/blood-transfusions-transplants

Edited May 13, 2019 by CaptainJack
Additional information

[alant]

Not sure I understand the claim of a "window period" where testing was not available. If he contracted the virus 15 years ago for the blood not to have been tested surely must have been a decision not to test donor blood.

 

[robblok]

19 minutes ago, CaptainJack said:

This, I have to respond to. I am a certified HIV Risk Reduction Counselor.   Fact! Many people do not know they are infected with HIV.   Period.  Straight,  gay and bisexual. 

 

This is a complete and total failure on the hospital part to test the blood before using it.  This no longer happens in the USA unless there is gross negligence. The new tests for both antibodies,  RNA and DNA are now so accurate,  the window is virtually a none issue now.  This Thai hospital either is not using the most modern tests or just dropped the ball on this. 

 

Enough said.....

Yes enough said forgetting this happened 15 years ago. Comparing them with the US of now not really fair at all. Should compare with US 15 years ago. Anyway things have changed now and are better this is an old case. And of course they did not use the most modern tests as it was 15 years ago. 

[CaptainJack]

11 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes enough said forgetting this happened 15 years ago. Comparing them with the US of now not really fair at all. Should compare with US 15 years ago. Anyway things have changed now and are better this is an old case. And of course they did not use the most modern tests as it was 15 years ago. 

You are absolutely right.  I edited my comment to be more accurate.   Thanks. I had a knee jerk reaction.

Edited May 13, 2019 by CaptainJack

[RJRS1301]

The hospital  seems that despite earlier assurances of support and treatment, are no longer upholding that agreement.

I guess the family and the client are hoping that the hospital will act ethically and continue to treat and support the client.

 

[hobobo]

1 hour ago, CaptainJack said:

Why has this article become news?  Why,  after 15 years reveal it now? 

As the article says, the hospital promised to give him free treatment, but after 15 years decided to "bump him off" to the 30 Baht scheme. Disgusting!

[Sydebolle]

Something to work on if you want all those Arabs continue to come in to burn money by the suitcase for medical reasons ............

Seriously, how ignorant is this and the risk is known for 30 years when Meechai roamed Patpong distributing condoms to prevent not only STDs but mainly AIDS.

[rebo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The key to avoiding such mishaps lies in donors being honest about their health conditions. 

What a nonsense!!! They obviously didn't understand anything of process reliability, the key to successful quality management.

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, rebo said:

What a nonsense!!! They obviously didn't understand anything of process reliability, the key to successful quality management.

This occurred 15 years ago, I am sure their protocols we reviewed upgraded and are scrutinised regularly.

 

[RJRS1301]

The key to avoiding such mishaps lies in donors being honest about their health conditions

 

 

 

People being honest about their sexual practices>>> not always

Sharing injecting equipment is another high risk

Many people are unaware that are HIV +(positive), lack of testing is high in SE Asia

[connda]

deleted

Edited May 13, 2019 by connda

[Guest]

12 hours ago, leeneeds said:

Sure ! the honesty of donor's admitting un protected sex with all walks of life,

donated blood can be kept  for up to 42 days at fridge temp,

 the amount donated so clean blood is available when required, maybe more blood drives for the blood bank of hospitals, would eliminate the window period in such a high risk society 

 

Reading is fundamental:

 

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Something to work on if you want all those Arabs continue to come in to burn money by the suitcase for medical reasons ............

Seriously, how ignorant is this and the risk is known for 30 years when Meechai roamed Patpong distributing condoms to prevent not only STDs but mainly AIDS.

Reading is fundamental:

 

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

The key to avoiding such mishaps lies in donors being honest about their health conditions

 

 

 

People being honest about their sexual practices>>> not always

Sharing injecting equipment is another high risk

Many people are unaware that are HIV +(positive), lack of testing is high in SE Asia

Reading is fundamental:

 

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

[scorecard]

Seems strange to me that Bumrumgrad don't do a test for HIV and more before they actually use the blood?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

A YOUNG THAI-JAPANESE man recently revealed he contracted the HIV virus via a blood transfusion given as part of his leukaemia treatment at a well-known private hospital in Bangkok 15 years ago.

 

There are a couple different lousy things about the reporting in this article:

 

1. It's really not clear whether Bumrungrad is continuing to treat the guy for free or not. The family says the hospital is not. But then later the hospital PR staff have a vague quote about being "committed to providing him aid in accordance with humanitarian principles."  Does that mean actually treating him, or, pawning him off to 30 baht care?

 

2. I think I understand the "window" concept explained in the article -- the period between a donor contracting the HIV virus and the later period when it becomes detectable.  But at least to me, what's not clear at all from the article is whether the current screening protocols -- vs those from 15 years ago -- are somehow capable of preventing "window" contaminated blood from getting into the system? Or does the same "window" problem exist today in Thailand as it did in the past???

 

[Traubert]

This morning a friend of mine (really, not me) went to give blood in Bangkok at the Red Cross.

 

She tells me that now there are extra questions on the registration form about people of British origin.

 

Apparently they are worried about variation Creutzfeld Jakob Disease.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Seems strange to me that Bumrumgrad don't do a test for HIV and more before they actually use the blood?

Reading is fundamental:

 

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

[happy chappie]

12 hours ago, hobobo said:

As the article says, the hospital promised to give him free treatment, but after 15 years decided to "bump him off" to the 30 Baht scheme. Disgusting!

Not forgetting he stopped using the treatment he was getting and thought it better to go eat some twigs and leaves (herbal remedies) to cure himself.why on earth a man choses to leave a top hospital with free treatment to go do voodoo treatment is beyond me.

[alant]

On 5/13/2019 at 7:48 AM, alant said:

Not sure I understand the claim of a "window period" where testing was not available. If he contracted the virus 15 years ago for the blood not to have been tested surely must have been a decision not to test donor blood.

 

Apologies misread the op and thought testing may not have been performed.

If the test was antibody based which for donor screening at that time was highly likely, it is possible the blood was tested before detection limits were reached.

 

[RJRS1301]

12 hours ago, bangkokequity said:

Reading is fundamental:

 

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

Been able to test blood for HIV for 30 years

[RJRS1301]

12 hours ago, Traubert said:

This morning a friend of mine (really, not me) went to give blood in Bangkok at the Red Cross.

 

She tells me that now there are extra questions on the registration form about people of British origin.

 

Apparently they are worried about variation Creutzfeld Jakob Disease.

Goodness bit late for that worry isn't it??

 

[RJRS1301]

13 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

There are a couple different lousy things about the reporting in this article:

 

1. It's really not clear whether Bumrungrad is continuing to treat the guy for free or not. The family says the hospital is not. But then later the hospital PR staff have a vague quote about being "committed to providing him aid in accordance with humanitarian principles."  Does that mean actually treating him, or, pawning him off to 30 baht care?

 

2. I think I understand the "window" concept explained in the article -- the period between a donor contracting the HIV virus and the later period when it becomes detectable.  But at least to me, what's not clear at all from the article is whether the current screening protocols -- vs those from 15 years ago -- are somehow capable of preventing "window" contaminated blood from getting into the system? Or does the same "window" problem exist today in Thailand as it did in the past???

 

It has happened as recently as 7 years ago in the service in Australia, person had contracted HIV (unknown), was in what they thought was a monogamous heterosexual relationship, no history of injecting drug use, no apparent risk factors. Blood tested negative, used in transfusion to a teenager.

 

[Sydebolle]

22 hours ago, bangkokequity said:

Reading is fundamental:

 

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood. 

Sorry to disagree, blood was checked 20+ years ago in Europe once the HIV issue became a potential health threat which was 30+ years ago. 

[Guest]

On 5/14/2019 at 9:25 AM, RJRS1301 said:

Been able to test blood for HIV for 30 years

15 years ago … before it was possible to detect HIV in the blood ... In all of Thailand?

 

Not sure you got the memo ... The Land of Smiles is a wee bit behind the technology adoption curve.

[RJRS1301]

2 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

Have the anti viral medicines stopped the disease from becoming fatal?

Antiretroviral therapies since about 1996 have drastically dropped the transmission rate of HIV, the ongoing assault on the immune system and improved the life of those living with HIV

Medications have to be taken 95% to achieve maximum efficacy, and reduce viral load to "undectable" by current viral load tests.

If a person continues to be 95% adherent with medications their chances of onward transmission of HIV to others (HIV Negative) is reduced by up to 96%. 

There has been an upsurge in other sexually transmissible infections due people not using condoms.