A serosurvey for HTLV-I among high-risk populations and normal adults in Egypt.
The prevalence of antibodies to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) was determined in high-risk groups and normal adults in Egypt. Among 647 individuals tested, 6 (0.9%) were confirmed positive by western blot analysis. These included 2 (0.7%) of 279 drug addicts, 1 (3.3%) of 30 patients with sexually transmitted diseases, and 3 (2.2%) of 133 healthy individuals. Antibody was not detected in 47 blood recipients or 158 prostitutes. There was no correlation between sex or geographical location and HTLV-I infection. Fifty-three of the 647 sera (8%) were initially reactive by ELISA, but only 12 sera were repeatedly reactive. Since only 4 of these repeatedly reactive sera were confirmed by the western blot, the frequency of false positives using the DuPont screening ELISA was 1.2% (8/643). Two additional sera, confirmed positive by western blot, had been reactive, but not repeatedly, by ELISA. In comparison to the prevalence of HTLV-I antibody among risk groups in many parts of the world, the prevalence in Egypt was low.
Constantine
N T
NT
U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt.
Fathi Sheba
M
M
Corwin
A L
AL
Danahy
R S
RS
Callahan
J D
JD
Watts
D M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011477:Sex Work; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D005169:Factor VIII