Human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus infection in pregnant women in the United Kingdom: population study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) infection in pregnant women in the United Kingdom.


METHODS
Population study.


METHODS
Guthrie card samples from babies born in 1997-8. Samples were linked to data on mother's age and ethnic status and parents' country of birth and then anonymised.


METHODS
North Thames Regional Health Authority.


METHODS
Presence of antibodies against HTLV in eluates tested by gelatin particle agglutination assay and results confirmed by immunoblot.


RESULTS
Of 126 010 samples tested, 67 had confirmed antibodies to HTLV (59 HTLV-I, 2 HTLV-II, 6 untyped) and six had indeterminate results. Seroprevalence was 17.0 per 1000 (95% confidence interval 9.2 to 28.3) in infants whose mothers were born in the Caribbean, 3.2/1000 (1.5 to 5.9) with mothers born in west and central Africa, and 6.8/1000 (3.1 to 12.9) in infants of black Caribbean mothers born in non-endemic regions. In infants with no known risk (both parents born in non-endemic regions and mother not black Caribbean) seroprevalence was 0.06-0.12 per 1000. Mother's country of birth, father's country of birth, and mother's ethnic status were all independently associated with neonatal seroprevalence. An estimated 223 (95% confidence interval 110 to 350) of the 720 000 pregnant women each year in the United Kingdom are infected with HTLV.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of HTLV and HIV infections in pregnant women in the United Kingdom are comparable. The cost effectiveness of antenatal HTLV screening should be evaluated, and screening of blood donations should be considered.
Ades
A E
AE
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH. a.ades@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Parker
S
S
Walker
J
J
Edginton
M
M
Taylor
G P
GP
Weber
J N
JN
D000328:Adult; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology
D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies