Human T-lymphotropic virus type I among blood donors from Guadeloupe: donation, demographic, and biologic characteristics.
BACKGROUND
Epidemiologic data on human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) are scant.


METHODS
From January 1989 to December 1996, 59,426 blood donors were screened by enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to HTLV-I. All repeatedly reactive samples were confirmed by Western blot. Temporal trends in HTLV-I seropositivity rates were examined during the study period. A multivariate analysis of donation, demographic, and biologic characteristics was performed.


RESULTS
Of the screened blood donors, 195 were confirmed as seropositive, for an overall prevalence of 0.33 percent (95% CI 0.28-0.38). A marked decrease in overall HTLV-I prevalence with time (from 0.47% in 1989 to 0.13% in 1996) was observed, which can be explained mainly by the decreasing percentage of recruited new donors during the study period. Four independent risk factors for HTLV-I were identified: new donor status (odds ratio [OR] 12.5), female sex (OR 1.7), increasing age (30-39 years: OR, 2.4; 40-49 years: OR, 3.7; >50 years: OR 6.6), and positive antibodies to hepatitis B virus core antigen (OR, 1.7). Selection of specific locations for blood collection was inversely associated with HTLV-I (OR 0.5).


CONCLUSIONS
New donor status, advancing age, female sex, and positivity for hepatitis B virus core antibodies were the major factors associated with HTLV-I infection in Guadeloupe.
Rouet
F
F
Etablissement de Transfusion Sanguine, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, France. rouet.francois@wanadoo.fr
Foucher
C
C
Rabier
M
M
Gawronski
I
I
Taverne
D
D
Chancerel
B
B
Casman
O
O
Strobel
M
M
D001782:Blood Donors; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000635:transmission*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014900:West Indies