title: HTLV-I/II infections in Spain. The HTLV-I/II Spanish Study Group.
abstract: Antibodies to HTLV-I/II were investigated in sera from 7521 individuals living in Spain. They were classified in four major groups: a) subjects at high risk of retroviral infections e.g. parenteral drug addicts, homosexuals, prostitutes, and multiple-transfused individuals; b) patients suffering illness associated with HTLV-I in endemic regions; c) immigrants from endemic areas; and d) blood donors. Sera were collected from 1984 to December 1991. Repeatedly reactive ELISA was found in 211 samples (2.8%), but Western blot only confirmed the presence of HTLV-I/II antibodies in 23 samples (0.30%), corresponding to eight (0.25%) out of 3207 drug abusers, six (0.72%) out of 894 immigrants (five Africans and one South American), three (0.41%) out of 727 patients with HTLV-related diseases (one woman with HTLV-I associated myelopathy had received blood transfusions in an endemic area), four (0.54%) out of 793 prostitutes, one multiple-transfused native woman, and one (0.16%) out of 603 native seamen. The Western blot antibody pattern confirmed HTLV-II infection instead of HTLV-I in nine (39%) subjects. The remaining 14 (61%) HTLV-reactive samples were interpreted as HTLV-I seropositive, most of which were from immigrants. None of 857 blood donors analysed was reactive for HTLV antibody. These results suggest that both HTLV-I and HTLV-II are present in Spain, although at a low rate and mostly restricted to individuals coming from endemic areas, drug addicts, and prostitutes. Furthermore, diseases related to HTLV-I (particularly lymphoproliferative disorders, and subacute myelopathies) seem to be rarely associated with these viruses in Spain, a non-endemic area.
authors.affiliation: Service for Infectious Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esparza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cilla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tor
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez-Trallero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011477:Sex Work; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies