Document 0684
 DOCN  M9440684
 TI    Prevalence of antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus among
       clinical laboratory specimens: findings from a survey of primary care
       physicians.
 DT    9404
 AU    Fernando NH; Petersen LR; Conway GA; Critchley SE; Division of HIV/AIDS,
       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,; Atlanta, GA 30333.
 SO    J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1994 Feb;7(2):177-81. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/94133090
 AB    To evaluate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection among
       patients of primary care physicians, we performed anonymous, unlinked
       HIV-1 antibody testing on leftover blood specimens submitted to 10 large
       commercial clinical laboratories for complete blood cell count or
       hematocrit determination, the most commonly ordered diagnostic tests.
       From January through August 1990, 55,613 specimens submitted by general
       internists, pediatricians, and family practitioners were sampled; 1,104
       (2.0%) had HIV-1 antibody. Seroprevalence among the laboratories varied
       50-fold, from 0.3 to 12.4%. The HIV-1 prevalence at each laboratory was
       not always consistent with the AIDS incidence in the area served by the
       laboratory. Overall the seroprevalence was almost eight times higher in
       men (3.9%) than in women (0.5%). Specimens from seropositive persons,
       especially from men, were unevenly distributed among the physician
       practices; only three practices submitted approximately 50% of all
       specimens from seropositive men. These data indicate that a few
       physicians treat the majority of HIV-1-infected primary care patients.
       The HIV-1 prevalence among specimens at a clinical laboratory is thus
       determined by whether few physicians submit specimens to that
       laboratory. These results could be of use, for instance, in analyzing
       proposals to mandate physician reporting of HIV-1 infection. The high
       HIV-1 prevalence among laboratory specimens underscores the potential
       for exposure to HIV-1-infected blood by clinical laboratory personnel
       and emphasizes the need for universal precautions for all blood
       specimens.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Age Distribution  Aged  Child  Child, Preschool
       Female  Human  HIV Antibodies/*BLOOD  *HIV Seroprevalence
       HIV-1/*IMMUNOLOGY  Infant  Infant, Newborn  Male  Middle Age  *Primary
       Health Care  Sex Distribution  United States/EPIDEMIOLOGY  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

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