title: Low prevalence of human T lymphotropic virus type I in !Kung San in Bushmanland, Namibia.
abstract: Antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) have been identified in various population groups living in southern and central Africa. Sera from 291 !Kung Bushmen in Bushmanland, Namibia were examined for the presence of antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 and to HTLV-I. Initial screening for HIV-1/2 by two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) revealed evidence of past exposure in four individuals. However, no HIV-1/2 infection could be confirmed by a particle agglutination assay, a recombinant ELISA, or by Western blot for HIV-1 and HIV-2. Indeterminate Western blot profiles (with a p55 for each and either a p25 or p18 band) existed for all four HIV-1-reactive sera. Eight sera were reactive in the HTLV-I ELISA, although only five were positive on a second ELISA. Only three of the five HTLV-I-reactive sera could be confirmed by Western blot.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Medical University of Southern Africa, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Joubert
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aspinall
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lecatsas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009276:Namibia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies