title: [HTLV-I infection in sailors who travel to sub-Saharan West Africa].
abstract: In order to assess if HTLV-1 retrovirus had penetrated in a group of sailors that often travel to endemic areas for HTLV-1 infection (West coast of sub-Saharan Africa) we have performed the following study. A total of 499 sera samples from sailors traveling to Africa during the last five years were studied. The presence of HTLV-1 antibodies was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, Dupont HTLV-1). Positive ELISA test results were further confirmed using a Western blot technique. In all patients the presence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies was also tested using ELISA and Western blot techniques. Using ELISA we find 7 positive sera to HTLV-1 (1.4%) but only one sera sample (0.2%) was also positive by Western blot analysis. We conclude that HTLV-1 infection is entering a population group traveling to endemic areas. The possibility of heterosexual transmission of the virus in our environment has to be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Medicina Interna, Hospital General, Huelva.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ollero
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Márquez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gea
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alcoucer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gimeno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000354:Africa, Western; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies
vernacular_title: Infección por HTLV-1 en marineros que viajan al Africa occidental subsahariana.