Dear Forum,

The number of blood donors in Japan who tested positive for HIV reached a record
high of 102 in 2007, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday by the
Japanese Red Cross Society, Kyodo News/AOL reports. The report -- which was
submitted to a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry committee -- showed that the
number of HIV-positive donors in 2007 increased by 15 compared with 2006 and
surpassed the previous record of 92 in 2004. The number also exceeded 100 for
the first time since 1986, when the HIV antibody test was introduced for blood
donors. The report showed that the number of blood donors per 100,000 living
with HIV also reached a record high of 2.06 in 2007. The number of total blood
donors in the country reached its lowest level of about 4.9 million last year.

The Osaka prefecture saw the largest increase, with 26 cases, followed by 17
cases in Tokyo. Six of the 102 HIV-positive donors tested negative for the virus
in preliminary blood antibody tests but later were diagnosed as HIV-positive in
confirmation tests, the report said. A ministry official said the record number
could be because of an increase in blood donors seeking HIV tests via blood
donation. "To prevent the possibility of the virus spreading, the ministry is
urging the public to refrain from blood donation for such purposes," the
official said. The society does not plan to inform donors of their test results
because the tests are designed to prevent the virus from spreading through
donated blood products, Kyodo News/AOL reports (Kyodo News/AOL, 1/23). From
Kaiser Foundation Reporting.

Dr Diwakar Tejaswi MBBS(Gold Medalist); MCH; FCCP; Ph.D.
Medical Director
Regional AIDS Training Center and Network in India (RATNEI)
International Health Organization (IHO)
Patna, Bihar. India
www.ihousa.org
e-mail: diwakartejaswi@...