U.S. Blood Banks Begin Testing for Rare AIDS Virus
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WASHINGTON — Blood banks in the United States on Monday began screening for the presence of a strain of the AIDS virus that, although still rare, has been found in three dozen countries.
The Food and Drug Administration ordered the testing to begin to detect HIV-2, which is a mutation of the human immunodeficiency virus. It is widespread in Africa, and more than 40 cases have been reported in the United States and Canada.
The FDA said blood banks can perform tests for the strains of the virus separately or in combination.
The American Assn. of Blood Banks said Monday that the tests for HIV-2 and HIV-1 should be relatively easy to carry out.
Blood centers operated by the Red Cross have been screening for both strains of the virus since earlier this year.
Other places HIV-2 has been detected include Europe, India, the former Soviet republics and South America.
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