title: Prevalence and epidemiologic correlates of human T cell lymphotropic virus infection among intravenous drug users.
abstract: Intravenous drug users (IVDUs) in Seattle (n = 213) were studied to identify the prevalence and predominant types of and risk factors for human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infection. Detailed questionnaires, serologic screening, and polymerase chain reaction analysis (for a subset) were used. Evidence of HTLV infection was found in 16.5%, of which 89% were HTLV-II. HTLV infection was significantly associated with nonwhite race, older age, more years of intravenous drug use, prior use of heroin, history of gonorrhea, history of any sexually transmitted disease, hepatitis B virus infection, and antibody to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). By stepwise logistic regression analysis, associations persisted with race, age, hepatitis B markers, and HSV-2. Thus, the strong association of HTLV with hepatitis B, a marker for injection behavior, and the independent association with HSV-2 infection, a sexually transmitted pathogen, suggest similarities in the epidemiology of HTLV and human immunodeficiency virus infections in IVDUs.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Seattle.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwebke
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calsyn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shriver
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleyn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oluoch-Mitchell
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Olmstead
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology