Altered cell-mediated immunity in asymptomatic Colombian natives with positive or indeterminate serology for HTLV-I.
Although HTLV-I infection has been associated with immunosuppression in symptomatic patients, no controlled study has been done in asymptomatic carriers. We evaluated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to seven antigens by multitest cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in 40 Colombian Indians, 10 HTLV-I-seropositive asymptomatic patients, and 30 matched controls. Multitest CMI was placed in the forearm and was read 48 hours later by the same physician. A positive reaction was defined as > or =2 mm. Hypoergic response was defined as <2 of 7 positive reactions per case or control. We found that HTLV-I-seropositive people had fewer positive reactions than matched controls (50% versus 64%, respectively; p < .04) but no significant difference was found in these populations in the evaluation of hypoergic responses. This study suggests the presence in asymptomatic HTLV-I-positive Colombian Indians of a marginal alteration of cell-mediated immunity that cannot be classified as hypoergic.
Department of Internal Medicine, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
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Bernal
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Bernal
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Patarca
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Bonilla
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Arango
D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007199:Indians, South American; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008297:Male
D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies