HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections in hematologic disorder patients, cancer patients, and healthy individuals from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Abstract

To clarify the seroprevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) among hematologic and cancer patients in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we investigated sera from 2430 individuals from the following groups: 152 patients with T-cell diseases, 250 with B-cell disorders, 67 with myeloid leukemia, 41 with Hodgkin's disease, 351 with a history of multiple blood transfusions, 235 patients with solid tumors of different types, and 109 family members of HTLV-I-infected patients. Antibodies to HTLV-I were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or particle agglutination assays (or both). Repeatedly reactive samples were tested by Western blot and polymerase chain reaction assay to differentiate HTLV-I from HTLV-II. We found an increased seroprevalence rate of HTLV-I among those with lymphoid malignancies, mainly in T-cell diseases (28.9%), and these results were important in characterizing 44 cases of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. We confirmed the presence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections in blood donors (0.4% and 0.1%, respectively), in patients exposed to multiple blood transfusions (10.2% and 0.8%, respectively), and in 30 (27.5%) of 109 family members of HTLV-I- or HTLV-II-infected patients. We also confirmed the high rate occurrence of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma among lymphoproliferative disorders in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

• Authors: S M Farias de Carvalho, M S Pombo de Oliveira, L C Thuler, M Rios, R C Coelho, L C Rubim, E M Silva, A M Reis, D Catovsky
• Journal: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes and human retrovirology : official publication of the International Retrovirology Association (J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol) Vol. 15 Issue 3 Pg. 238-42 (Jul 01 1997) ISSN: 1077-9450 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9257659 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• DNA, Viral
• HTLV-I Antibodies
• HTLV-II Antibodies

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Blood Donors
• Brazil (epidemiology)
• DNA, Viral (analysis)
• Female
• HTLV-I Antibodies (analysis)
• HTLV-I Infections (complications, epidemiology, immunology)
• HTLV-II Antibodies (analysis)
• HTLV-II Infections (complications, epidemiology, immunology)
• Hematologic Diseases (complications)
• Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (genetics, immunology)
• Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 (genetics, immunology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasms (complications)
• Prevalence
• Retrospective Studies