Surveillance for HIV-2 Infection in Blood Donors— United States, 1987-1989

In collaboration with CDC, blood collection agencies are conducting ongoing surveillance for human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection among U.S. blood donors. Through December 1989, no blood donors with HIV-2 infection had been detected. This report summarizes findings of recent HIV-2 surveillance by the American Red Cross Blood Services (ARCBS) and the New York Blood Center (NYBC). To examine the potential for HIV-2 infection in blood supplies, the ARCBS and the NYBC tested stored frozen serum (collected from January 1987 to December 1989) that had previously tested repeatedly reactive by the HIV-1 enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (serum from persons with HIV-2 infection often cross-reacts with HIV-1 EIA1,2). The ARCBS tested 24,826 samples (approximately 95% of all specimens at the ARCBS that tested repeatedly reactive by the HIV-1 EIA). Of these, 93% were identified from routine HIV-1 screening of approximately 18 million regular, directed (i.e., recipient specifies donor), and autologous