title: A seroepidemiological survey of HTLV-I/HTLV-II in selected Belgian populations.
abstract: A preliminary survey of the prevalence of HTLV-I antibody during 1987 and 1988 in Belgium revealed no positive results among selected blood donors who sided for some length of time in areas where HTLV-I/HTLV-II is endemic (n = 270), in development-aid workers (n = 145), or in missionaries (n = 35) serving in developing countries. Among foreign groups, African students (n = 212), and political refugees (n = 311), HTLV-I/HTLV-II antibodies were detected and confirmed in 3 cases. Limited data from 1987 and 1988 suggest that HTLV-I/HTLV-II poses no major public health problem in Belgium.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vranckx
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coenjaert
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muylle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies