title: Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) seroprevalence in Jamaica. I. Demographic determinants.
abstract: During 1985 and 1986, the authors measured antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in a cohort of 13,260 Jamaicans from all parts of the island who applied for food-handling licenses. HTLV-I seroprevalence was strongly age and sex dependent, rising from 1.7% (10-19 years) to 9.1% (greater than or equal to 70 years) in men and from 1.9% (10-19 years) to 17.4% (greater than or equal to 70 years) in women. In a logistic regression analysis, women were more likely to be seropositive than were men, and farmers, laborers, and the unemployed were more likely to be HTLV-I seropositive than were those reporting student or professional occupations. In men, African ethnicity was associated with HTLV-I seropositivity in the univariate analysis but was not a risk factor after adjustment for age and sex. There was a trend toward higher age-stratified HTLV-I seroprevalence among younger women who reported more pregnancies, but older multigravidas had lower rates of HTLV-I seropositivity. Persons born outside Jamaica had significantly lower seroprevalence than did those born in Jamaica, but they were of slightly different ethnic and occupational compositions than those born in Jamaica.
authors.affiliation: Viral Epidemiology Section, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holding-Cobham
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cranston
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Malley
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bodner
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Blattner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies