HTLV-I and -II in intravenous drug users from Sweden and Denmark.
693 IVDU (intravenous drug user) sera from Copenhagen, Malmö and Stockholm were tested, 247 retro- and 446 prospectively, for antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), types I and II, by means of a commercial whole-virus EIA and/or an HTLV-I/-II peptide-based EIA. Positive EIA reactions were checked and typed by electrophoretic immunoblotting, a differential peptide-based EIA and nucleic acid amplification/hybridization with HTLV-I and -II specific primers and probes. 3 (0.7%) of the prospectively tested IVDUs from Malmö, none of 100 from Stockholm and none of 45 from Copenhagen were HTLV-seropositive. The 3 Malmö IVDU cases were a female immigrant from South America, her male native Swedish spouse (both HTLV-I), and a male immigrant Italian heroinist (HTLV-II). We conclude that HTLV was uncommon among intravenous drug users, a sentinel population, in Sweden and Denmark during 1986 and 1989. However, the occurrence of 3 HTLV-positive cases in Malmö 1993 indicates that the situation can change rapidly.
Blomberg
J
J
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Sweden.
Moestrup
T
T
Frimand
J
J
Hansson
B G
BG
Krogsgaard
K
K
Grillner
L
L
Nordenfelt
E
E
D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies