Detection of a major gene predisposing to human T lymphotropic virus type I infection in children among an endemic population of African origin.
Human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is a human oncoretrovirus that causes an adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma and a chronic neuromyelopathy. To investigate whether familial aggregation of HTLV-I infection (as determined by specific seropositive status) could be explained in part by genetic factors, we conducted a large genetic epidemiological survey in an HTLV-I-endemic population of African origin from French Guiana. All of the families in 2 villages were included, representing 83 pedigrees with 1638 subjects, of whom 165 (10.1%) were HTLV-I seropositive. The results of segregation analysis are consistent with the presence of a dominant major gene predisposing to HTLV-I infection, in addition to the expected familial correlations (mother-offspring, spouse-spouse) due to the virus transmission routes. Under this genetic model, approximately 1. 5% of the population is predicted to be highly predisposed to HTLV-I infection, and almost all seropositive children <10 years of age are genetic cases, whereas most HTLV-I seropositive adults are sporadic cases.
INSERM U436, "Modélisation Mathématique et Statistique en Biologie et Médecine," CHU Pitié Salpétrière, Unité d'Epidémiologie des Virus Oncogènes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
S
S
Plancoulaine
A
A
Gessain
M
M
Joubert
P
P
Tortevoye
I
I
Jeanne
A
A
Talarmin
G
G
de Thé
L
L
Abel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005616:French Guiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D019683:Penetrance; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies