Madam, Since the introduction of AIDS in the country and reporting of cases of HIV infection among professional blood donors! and voluntary blood donors2, blood donation from the family members and friends of the patients are considered relatively safe. Itis generally not expected from the family members orfnends, knowingly his high risk behaviour or HIV positive state will donate his blood for transfusion to his kith and kin. We are, however, reporting a case of HIV infection in a person who donated his blood to his cousin. He appeared repeatedly reactive on ELISA (Abbott recombinant kit) at AIDS laboratory, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and positive on western blot (Diagnostics Pasteur) at clinical laboratory of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Evi­dence of HIV infection in a family donor again highlights the need of mandatory screening of all blood for HIV infection and promotion of appropriate use of blood and blood product.

1. Khanani, R.M., Hafeez, A., Rab, S.M. et al. Human immuno- deficiency virus associated disorders in Pakistan. AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses, 1988;4: 149.
2. Kayani, N., Shaikh, A., Khan, A. et al. A view of HIV-Infection in Karachi. J. Pak. Med. Assoc., 1994;44:8-11.