Acquired immune deficiency syndrome in the Middle East from imported blood.

In Saudi Arabia, a native patient with no known risk factors for the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) developed both clinical and laboratory evidence of AIDS 2 years after receiving transfusion of 11 units of blood obtained from a commercial distributor in the United States. This case suggests that a history of transfusions of blood components imported from areas where AIDS is prevalent should be elicited from patients in the Middle East with symptoms and physical findings suggesting AIDS.