Female prostitutes: a risk group for infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III.
In July, 1984 33 female prostitutes in Rwanda and 25 male customers of prostitutes were assessed clinically and for their T-lymphocyte subsets and frequency of antibodies to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III). 27 healthy males who denied contact with prostitutes, 33 healthy women who were not prostitutes, and 51 Rwandese prostitutes seen in 1983 served as controls. Only 6 prostitutes were symptom-free (group I), 13 had unexplained generalised lymphadenopathy (LAP) (group II), and 14 had LAP and constitutional symptoms (group III). Mean OKT4/OKT8 ratio in groups II and III was significantly lower than that in group I or in female controls. HTLV-III antibodies were detected in 29 of 33 prostitutes, 4 female controls, 7 male customers, and 2 male controls. In male customers, HTLV-III seropositivity increased according to the number of different sexual partners per year. This study suggests that in Central Africa prostitutes are a high-risk group for HTLV-III infection.
Van de Perre
P
P
Clumeck
N
N
Carael
M
M
Nzabihimana
E
E
Robert-Guroff
M
M
De Mol
P
P
Freyens
P
P
Butzler
J P
JP
Gallo
R C
RC
Kanyamupira
J B
JB
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D012432:Rwanda; D011477:Sex Work; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral