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16 more may be carriers of Aids virus
By KONG SOOK CHIN
SIXTEEN more people in Singapore are suspected of carrying HTLV-III, the Aids-related virus.
They have shown positive results to the screening test, kwown as the Elisa test.
But pending more tests, the Health Ministry is unable to say whether the 16 are carriers of the Aids related virus.
The ministry reported this yesterday in a statement to give an update on its monitoring programme on Aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
It said that the three confirmed carriers of the Aids-related virus (who were discovered in April) "remain clinically well". They are being followed up regularly at Middle Road Hospital.
"The majority of the 16 showed only weak positive results. The significance of the weak positive tests is unclear and false positives due to serological abnormalities are possible," the ministry said.
Aids Advisory Committee Chairman Dr Ong Yong Wan said yesterday: "Initial positive results from laboratory tests may not mean the individual has been exposed to or is carrying the virus."
Dr Oug said the Elisa test was used as a screen for antibodies or protein substances to the HTLV-lll virus. There could be other proteins in the blood unrelated to the virus, giving a positive test result.
Samples for tests abroad
All blood samples found positive have been sent to Reference Laboratories in the United States and Australia for the confirmatory Western Blot test. None of the results is yet available.
Thirteen of the suspected cases are from the high risk group of haemophiliacs, homosexuals and prostitutes. So far 2,058 people from the high risk group have been screened.
Three others were discovered through screening tests done by the Blood Transfusion Service, which tested specimens from 4,723 blood donors.
Dr Ong said that, eventually, about 20,000 people would be screened - about 5,000 in the high risk group and 15,000 blood donors.
The 16 suspected cases, screened under the ministry's Aids monitoring programme, included a man who was discharged from Alexandra Hospital on Saturday.
The ministry assured the public that during the patient's brief hospitalisation, all necessary precautions were taken to safeguard the public and hospital staff.
Aids involves a breakdown in a patient's immune system rendering him incapable of defending himself against infections and unusual tumours such as Kaposi's Sarcoma, a skin cancer which is a clinical manifestation of Aids. No cure has so far been found.
Aids can he transmitted through sperm, but a ministry spokesman said yesterday that there was no move to ban artificial insemination because of little such activity here.
“The Sperm Bank is dry because people are afraid to donate sperm," she added.
- Concern grows over threat of Aids: Page 19
See also[]
- Archive of "Three in S’pore found with Aids-linked virus", The Straits Times, 10 April 1985
- Archive of "Aids virus: Doctor who 'found it'", The Sunday Times, 14 April 1985
- Archive of "Aids on ‘must report’ list", The Straits Times, 17 April 1985
- Archive of "Undergrads to be taught about Aids", The Straits Times, 21 April 1885
- Archive of "Special lab to do Aids tests soon", The Straits Times, 18 May 1985
- Archive of "Man with Aids related virus in hospital", The Straits Times, 21 July 1985
- Archive of "Ministry steps up Aids drive", The Straits Times, 5 September 1985
- Archive of "S’pore-Stanford research tie-up bid", The Straits Times, 10 October 1985
- Archive of "Aids: 20,000 cleared", The Straits Times, 29 November 1985
- Archive of "Screening tests likely to uncover more Aids carriers", The Straits Times, 1 May 1986
- Archive of "Aids claims first victim here", The Straits Times, 11 April 1987
- Archive of "Fear of Aids pushes up condom sales", The Straits Times, 19 April 1987
- Archive of "Govt dental clinics phasing out boiling", The Straits Times, 1 October 1987
- HIV/AIDS in Singapore's LGBT community
- Paddy Chew
- Avin Tan
- Ajmal Khan
- Calvin Tan
- Adrian Tyler
References[]
- Kong Sook Chin, "Aids on ‘must report’ list", The Straits Times, 17 April 1985[].
Acknowledgements[]
This article was archived by Roy Tan.