[HIV antigen test of blood donors].

The importance of an optimal diagnostic standard for the prevention of transfusion-associated AIDS (TAA) was recently enforced by a decision of our Supreme Court. Although only 18 transfusion-associated HIV infections following transfusion of approximately 30 million blood units were officially reported since 1985, HIV-1 p24 antigen testing of blood donors was introduced in Hamburg and by the Bavarian Red Cross in summer 1992. So far, no p24 antigen-positive, HIV antibody-negative blood donor has been found (May 1993).