Lack of relation between human T-lymphotropic virus type I infection and systemic lupus erythematosus in Jamaica, West Indies.
To determine whether systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with human T-lymphotropic virus, type I (HTLV-I) infection in Jamaica, an endemic area for the virus, we studied 63 patients with SLE at the University Hospital of the West Indies in Kingston. Antibodies to HTLV-I were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique using purified disrupted whole virus as antigen, with confirmation by p24 protein RIA or competitive binding. Four of 63 SLE patients were HTLV-I seropositive (6.3%). There was no evidence for excess HTLV-I infection in SLE patients when their age- and sex-standardized HTLV-I seroprevalence rate was compared to that of a large group of healthy food service employees. None of 13 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were seropositive for HTLV-I. We conclude that HTLV-I infection does not appear to be linked with SLE in Jamaica.
Murphy
E L
EL
Viral Epidemiology Section, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
De Ceulaer
K
K
Williams
W
W
Clark
J W
JW
Saxinger
C
C
Gibbs
W N
WN
Blattner
W A
WA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies