The HTLV type I sequence from an asymptomatic German blood donor is related to sequences from South America.
In most parts of Europe only a limited number of sporadic cases of HTLV-I infections have been identified. So far, the few cases found in Germany were individuals from endemic areas or with relations to endemic areas. Here we report an HTLV-I infection from an asymptomatic female German blood donor whose only known potential risk was a former partner from South America, where HTLV-I is known to be endemic. The DNA sequence of the LTR region was determined and a phylogenetic analysis indeed suggested homologies with HTLV-I sequences from South America.
Duwe
S
S
Department of Virology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Fleischer
C
C
Knödler
B
B
Kühnl
P
P
Pauli
G
G
Ellerbrok
H
H
D001483:Base Sequence; D001782:Blood Donors; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
D017931:DNA Primers