title: Serum antibodies to human T-cell leukaemia virus type I in different ethnic groups and in non-human primates in South Africa.
abstract: The prevalence of humoral antibodies to human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I) was investigated in different ethnic groups and in non-human primates in South Africa. Serum antibody levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using either disrupted whole HTLV-I or purified p24 core protein (p24 HTLV-I) as antigens. ELISA was complemented by direct radio-immunoprecipitation assays using either purified iodinated p24 HTLV-I or radiolabelled lysates of an HTLV-producing cell line as antigen followed by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the immunoprecipitates, and by immunofluorescence using the HTLV-I-producing cell line HUT-102 as antigen. Antibodies were demonstrated in 3,5% of Asians, 3,5% of blacks and 4,1% of coloureds, but not in whites, and also in 29% of vervet monkeys and 33% of baboons. We conclude that HTLV-I or closely related viruses cause widespread infection in non-human primates in South Africa and in a lower percentage of humans, including apparently healthy blood donors. We are currently isolating retroviruses from seropositive reactors and investigating the possible relevance to disease in South Africa.
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Brede
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops / Q000276:immunology; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005701:Galago / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010215:Papio / Q000276:immunology; D011323:Primates / Q000276:immunology*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral