Evaluation of human T cell lymphotropic virus infection in a cohort of injecting drug users.

Abstract

The diagnosis and confirmation of human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type II infection has proven difficult, since most assays depend on antigenic cross-reactivity between HTLV-I antigens and HTLV-II antibodies. Type-specific HTLV infection rates were evaluated in a cohort of 233 injecting drug users screened with an HTLV EIA. Of the 52 EIA-reactive specimens, 48 were indeterminate or negative by standard Western blot. Type-specific HTLV results determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were 0, HTLV-I; 92%, HTLV-II; 6%, type indeterminate; and 2%, negative. Among 42 EIA-reactive, HTLV-II-PCR-positive individuals tested by a p21 envr Western blot, all were positive and 74% had antibodies to the tax protein. This study found a high rate (22.3%) of HTLV reactivity, with HTLV-II usually the sole responsible agent; shortcomings in standard HTLV-I-based diagnostics but usefulness of PCR and p21 envr Western blots for typing and confirmation of HTLV reactivity; and a high prevalence (74%) of anti-tax antibody among HTLV-II-seropositive subjects, suggesting increased potential for infectivity.

• Authors: P E Palumbo, S H Weiss, B J McCreedy, S S Alexander, T N Denny, C W Klein, R Altman
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 166 Issue 4 Pg. 896-9 (Oct 1992) ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States
• PMID: 1527427 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Topics

• Cohort Studies
• HTLV-II Infections (diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology)
• Humans
• New Jersey
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Substance Abuse, Intravenous (complications)