Screening for Lymphadenopathy/AIDS Virus in Bone Marrow–Transplant Recipients

Abstract

To the Editor: In answer to the letter by Atkinson et al. (July 18 issue),¹ we certainly agree that immunodeficiency observed after bone marrow transplantation is not always related to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Nevertheless, we would like to point out that recipients of bone marrow transplants represent a population given many transfusions and immunosuppressants, and that they must therefore be included among groups at high risk for AIDS.Our recent observation of three patients with delayed opportunistic infections and cytopenias related to infection with lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV)/AIDS virus prompted us to perform systematic pretransplantation screening for antibody to . . .