title: HTLV-I/II seropositivity and death from AIDS among HIV-1 seropositive intravenous drug users.
abstract: In a prospective study of street-recruited intravenous drug users (IVDUs) in Miami, Florida, USA, 107 (46.5%) of 230 IVDUs were infected with HIV-1. Of these HIV-1 seropositive individuals, 23 were also infected with human T-lymphotropic virus type I or II (HTLV-I/II). To test the hypothesis that HTLV-I/II infection has an effect on the survival of HIV-1 seropositive IVDUs, various baseline clinical and laboratory HIV-1 related indices in HTLV-I/II positive and negative groups were compared. Life table analysis and Cox's proportional hazards model were used to estimate the potential effect of HTLV-I/II infection on the survival patterns of people infected with HIV-1. IVDUs infected with both viruses were three times more likely to die from AIDS during follow-up than were those infected with HIV-1 only. This finding suggests that HTLV-I/II seropositivity may adversely affect the clinical outcome of HIV-1 seropositive patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Chitwood
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Klimas
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality*; D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality*
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies