HIV Transfusion Update
Published: April 24, 2013 (Issue # 1756)
ST. PETERSBURG (SPT) — The first HIV blood test that was administered to the 16-month child who was mistakenly given a blood transfusion containing HIV antibodies at a St. Petersburg hospital last month, returned a negative result, Interfax reported.
Even though the first result came back negative, the child will continue to need blood tests in the future, said Ludmila Kostkina who is the chairperson of the Social Policy and Health Commission of the city’s Legislative Assembly.
The chances of the child becoming infected are extremely low, said Kostinka speaking via her press spokesperson.
“If within the first eight hours of bexposure a patient receives the necessary treatment, the infection should not develop. The child received treatment four hours after the transfusion,” the spokesperson said.
The case has caused the St. Petersburg Blood Transfusion Center to adjust the methods used for providing donor blood for transfusion. In future, the blood will be given by two doctors to avoid mistakes.
The child had a blood transfusion from an HIV-positive donor in St. Petersburg’s Children Hospital #5 in March.