Suspect blood may have been used in Chch

Press, 6 November 1984, Page 1

Suspect blood may have been used in Chch

Some Christchurch haemophiliacs may have used blood products suspected to have been contaminated with a virus linked to A.I.D.S. The regional transfusion officer at Christchurch Hospital, Dr Gordon Whyte, said last evening that about 50 bottles of the product, a blood-clotting agent caUed Prothrombinex, had been sent to Christchurch from Australia. About three-quarters of these had been used before the possibility of contamination was realised several days ago, he said. Ten to 15 New Zealand haemophiliacs may have already used the agent, according to the medical director of the Auckland Blood Transfusion Centre, Dr Graeme Woodfield. He said that 400 vials of the agent were imported and distributed throughout New Zealand. “We have had 25 per cent of the vials returned and we may get as many as 50 per cent back, but no more,” he said. Dr Whyte said about 60 haemophiliacs lived in Christchurch, but only eight to 10 had the disorder that required Prothrombinex. If any of those who had used the suspect agent did develop A.I.D.S (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) it might not be obvious for some time. The incubation period for the disease was between six months and two years, he said.

Observation of those who had used the suspect agent would continue, but this was part of the regular treatment of haemophiliacs. The risk to haemophiliacs was small. The chance of someone getting the disease from the agent was prob-

ably about one in 1000 or 2000, said Dr Whyte. It was possible that there could be some changes to reduce the risk of blood being contaminated with the A.I.D.S virus, said Dr Whyte. Obviously there was concern to ensure that a blood transfusion was as safe as possible, but safety could never be guaranteed. Because of the dangers of A.I.D.S. and hepatitis it was decided several weeks ago to change the way New Zealand blood was processed. Previously it was pooled with Australian blood when it was sent there for processing, but it would now be kept separately. Dr Whyte said that he hoped this new system would make New Zealanders feel more responsible for each other and those at greatest risk of contracting A.I.D.S. would refrain from giving blood. The local homosexual community had been very co-operative, he said. -It was difficult to refuse blood when the donor system relied on volunteers. Health workers could only emphasise the need for donors to be honest and healthy. Haemophiliacs knew there was a risk that they could catch A.I.D.S but most were willing to take that risk rather than face the discomfort and pain of swollen joints, said Dr Whyte. The secretary of the Haemophilia Society, Mr Tony Goodwin, said it was “regrettably inevitable” that New Zealand haemophiliacs would eventually contract A.I.D.S. through blood products. "We have no way of avoiding it. We are. the innocent victims,” he said. New Zealand would continue to rely on overseas

products because it did not have its own blood fractionation plant, he said. In Australia, the search for almost 40 haemophiliacs who had received bloodclotting products suspected of carrying the virus is continuing according to health authorities. Australian health authorities said that the suspect virus was believed to be in two clotting agents issued by the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, in Melbourne, in March. Haemophiliacs would have received the products in August. The laboratory’s director, Dr Neville McCarthy, said that he could not rule out the possibility of the contaminated blood causing death. Once the recipients were identified they would be monitored. “There is not much more we can do,” he said. The scare was first realised when laboratory scientists found an 807-bottle batch containing an A.I.D.S. antibody, suggesting that one of the several dozen donors had been a carrier of AJ.D.S. antibodies. After tests last week it was established that one of the donors was l carrying A.I.D.S. antibodies. He had been identified only as a male not from Victoria. and Dr McCarthy said that the man had been told not to give blood again. In Wellington, a Health Department spokesman said that a special working group set up by the department could come up with a test to screen blood donors for A.I.D.S. in about six months. Dr Keith Ridings said that the team had. been set up to study - further measures to stop the disease spreading to New Zealand.