HTLV-1 infection in Papua New Guinea: evidence for serologic false positivity.
Serum samples from 557 individuals participating in studies from four separate lowland and highland populations in Papua New Guinea exhibited consistently false-positive results for human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type 1 (10%) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 (5%) antibody in direct antiglobulin and agglutination assays. All serum samples were negative in competitive ELISAs and radioimmunoassays for HTLV-1 and HIV-1; selected samples of reactive sera were negative in an HTLV-2 competitive ELISA. Immunofluorescent antibody tests using HTLV-1 infected cells correlated poorly with ELISA results. None of the sera from Papua New Guinea neutralized vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotypes of HTLV-1. By Western blot analysis, only three serum samples were weakly reactive to HTLV-1 gag proteins. These studies suggest there is as yet no firm evidence of HTLV-1, HTLV-2, or HIV-1 infection in Papua New Guinea, although there may be a low prevalence.
Weber
J N
JN
Chester Beatty Laboratories, Department of Virology, St. Thomas's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
Banatvala
N
N
Clayden
S
S
McAdam
K P
KP
Palmer
S
S
Moulsdale
H
H
Tosswill
J
J
Dilger
P
P
Thorpe
R
R
Amann
S
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012737:Sex Factors
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies