Little Response on 1st Day of Free County AIDS Screenings

In a move designed to protect the area’s blood supply, the San Diego County Department of Health Services on Monday began its screening test for the virus associated with AIDS, but the response was slight.

Dr. Donald Ramras, county public health officer, reported that by mid-afternoon only one person had asked for counseling and information about the test at the main county health clinic. But he said workers had fielded many telephone inquiries.

The test, which is free, will be given every day at the main downtown clinic on Pacific Highway, Mondays at the East San Diego clinic, Tuesdays at the clinic in Chula Vista and Wednesdays at the one in Oceanside.

The screening, which also is given to all blood bank donors, tests for antibodies that develop when a person has been infected by the AIDS virus. The test now is being offered at health centers statewide under a state law signed by the governor in April that requires county health departments to offer the screening at sites other than blood banks.

Officials had feared that people who thought they had been infected would use the blood banks to find out.

AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is an incurable disease that causes the body’s immune system to break down, leaving the body susceptible to a variety of infections and diseases. Among groups at high risk to contract AIDS are homosexuals, hemophiliacs and intravenous drug users.

According to Ramras, “The idea was to divert people who are at high risk from the blood banks.” He said there is a danger that inaccurate tests at blood banks might lead to donors giving contaminated blood.

Every potential blood donor is given a written questionnaire defining the high-risk groups and asking whether the person falls into one of the groups. If the answer is negative, the person qualifies as a donor. All blood is given the HTLV III test for antibodies and is rejected if the blood reacts to the test.

Lynn Stedd, community relations coordinator of the San Diego Blood Bank, said there was never any reason for anyone to go to the blood bank for a test because the test results are not released to donors. But she added that the new program was designed to protect the blood supply and “anything that protects the blood supply is good.”

The screening test has been controversial because both health officials and AIDS counselors recognize that it is not conclusive. Ramras said, “The test does not tell you whether you have AIDS or whether you’re going to get it. Even though a person may have AIDS, the antibody score may be negative.”

On the other hand, he said, “You may find somebody with negative antibodies even though they have AIDS.”

Stedd said the test is so sensitive that it may detect many other disorders in the blood. “It only means there’s a possibility a person may have been exposed to AIDS,” she said.

Tom Jefferson, a staff member of the San Diego AIDS project, which counsels AIDS victims, said the project does not recommend the county’s screening test to people who call for information about it. The staff tries to correct people’s misconceptions that the screening is a conclusive test for AIDS.

He said one of his concerns is that the county is not prepared to give proper counseling to people who have been told they have antibodies. “They have 10 to 20 minutes of hospital counseling,” he said. “They’re not trained in any depth to deal with the psychological level.