title: HTLV-I among U.S. Marines stationed in a hyperendemic area: evidence for female-to-male sexual transmission.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Infectious Disease Division), Naval Hospital, San Diego, CA 92134-5000.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Brodine
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Oldfield
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Corwin
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Molgaard
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Golbeck
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ryden
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Benenson
mesh_terms: 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