Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I infection in Barbados: results of a 20-year follow-up study.
Forty-one human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1)-seropositive individuals were identified among 1,012 subjects with stored serum samples from a health and seroepidemiological survey conducted in Barbados in 1972. These 41 subjects plus 79 HTLV-1 seronegative household members were targeted in a follow-up study 20 years later. Sixteen seropositive subjects and 22 seronegative subjects were interviewed, examined, and phlebotomized. There were no changes in HTLV-1 serostatus between the 1972 and follow-up serum samples. Three (19%) of the seropositive subjects had HTLV-1-associated disorders: two with dermatitis and one with "smoldering" adult T-cell leukemia. Neurologic and immunologic function was similar in HTLV-1-seropositive and HTLV-1-seronegative subjects. HTLV-1 antibodies persist over many years, and the risk for seroconversion of household contacts is low.
Rabkin
C S
CS
Viral Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20852, USA.
Corbin
D O
DO
Felton
S
S
Barker
H
H
Davison
D
D
Dearden
C
C
Blattner
W A
WA
Evans
A S
AS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001460:Barbados / Q000453:epidemiology; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies