HTLV-I among U.S. Marines stationed in a hyperendemic area: evidence for female-to-male sexual transmission.
Among 5,255 active duty United States Marines on permanent tour in Okinawa, Japan, screened for human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) seropositivity, 3 (0.06%) were confirmed by Western blot analysis to have core and envelope reactivity. All three seropositive individuals have a history of prolonged sexual contact with Okinawan women, and two of the three individuals are married to seropositive Okinawan wives. Two gave a prior history of gonorrhea, while all three were negative for syphilis (MHA-TP) and hepatitis B. No other risk factors associated with HTLV-I seropositivity in the United States were identified. A banked sample from one individual, obtained 8 months after initial sexual relations with his HTLV-I-seropositive Okinawan spouse and 20 months before being retested in the survey, showed a pattern suggesting seroconversion. Although based on small numbers, these data suggest that female-to-male transmission of HTLV-I occurs in the absence of other cofactors, e.g., ulcerative genital lesions.
Brodine
S K
SK
Department of Internal Medicine (Infectious Disease Division), Naval Hospital, San Diego, CA 92134-5000.
Oldfield
E C
EC
Corwin
A L
AL
Thomas
R J
RJ
Ryan
A B
AB
Holmberg
J
J
Molgaard
C A
CA
Golbeck
A L
AL
Ryden
L A
LA
Benenson
A S
AS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D010139:Pacific Islands; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology