Seroprevalence and demographic characteristics of HTLV-I among blood donors in Taiwan: 1996-1999.
Screening for the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and-II in blood donors was implemented in Taiwan beginning in February 1996. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the changes in HTLV-I seroprevalence in all unpaid blood donors in Taiwan during the period from February 1996 to December 1999 and to determine the influence of age and sex on the HTLV-I seropositivity of donors. HTLV-I and HTLV-II screening was performed using combined HTLV-I/II immunoassay. Repeated reactive samples were confirmed by Western blot analysis. Of a total of 3,701,087 donors in all 6 blood centers in Taiwan, 2,311 (0.058%) were seropositive for HTLV-I. The HTLV-I seropositivity was 0.130%, 0.063%, 0.044%, and 0.032% in the years 1996, 1997,1998, and 1999, respectively. There was a linear increase of HTLV-I seropositivity with advancing age. The HTLV-I carrier rate for female donors was twice that for the male donors. Ninty-seven percent of HTLV-I seropositive results came from first-time donors. Our findings suggest that Taiwan is a low-prevalence nonendemic area for HTLV-I infection. The large-scale HTLV-I screening program has decreased HTLV-I seropositivity among blood donors and is useful for preventing HTLV-I transmission via blood transfusion.
Lu
S C
SC
Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan.
Kao
C L
CL
Chin
L T
LT
Chen
J W
JW
Yang
C M
CM
Chang
J H
JH
Hsu
S C
SC
Chang
A C
AC
Chen
B H
BH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D019371:Topography, Medical