HTLV-II infection in Florida Indians.
A significantly increased prevalence of antibodies to human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) has been described in several native American populations in the United States and Latin America. Initial virologic studies indicate that HTLV-II is the predominant virus responsible for this antibody pattern. We obtained blood samples from 106 Seminole Indians living on four reservations in Southern Florida. Seropositivity to HTLV-I/II was found in 14 (13.2%) of these individuals. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) documented HTLV-II and the absence of HTLV-I in 7 of the 9 donors available for follow-up testing of white blood cells. Evaluation of various risk factors excluded blood transfusion or intravenous drug use as an important contributing factor to the HTLV-II seroprevalence rate. These studies support the hypothesis that HTLV-II is endemic in many native American tribes in the Western hemisphere.
Levine
P H
PH
Viral Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Jacobson
S
S
Elliott
R
R
Cavallero
A
A
Colclough
G
G
Dorry
C
C
Stephenson
C
C
Knigge
R M
RM
Drummond
J
J
Nishimura
M
M
D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies