Virus markers associated with vertical transmission of human T lymphotropic virus type 1 in Jamaica.
In a prospective study involving 150 mothers and their offspring in Jamaica, we examined maternal viral factors associated with the risk of transmission of human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Overall, the incidence of HTLV-1 infection among children was 8.3 occurrences per 1000 person-months. A higher maternal provirus level (odds ratio [OR], 1.9 per quartile) and a higher HTLV-1 antibody titer (OR, 2.2 per quartile) were independently associated with transmission to children, whereas the presence of anti-Tax antibody was not. Higher maternal antibody titers also were associated with older age at infection among children who were breast-fed for </=12 months, which suggests that passively transferred maternal antibodies confer protection against infection while they persist. These data imply that mothers who have high provirus loads should be encouraged not to breast-feed. Alternatively, the successful reduction of maternal provirus loads or maintenance of passive antibody levels in infants during breast-feeding may lower the risk of transmission.
Hisada
Michie
M
Viral Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA. mh280i@nih.gov
Maloney
Elizabeth M
EM
Sawada
Takashi
T
Miley
Wendell J
WJ
Palmer
Paulette
P
Hanchard
Barrie
B
Goedert
James J
JJ
Manns
Angela
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000276:immunology*; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011533:Proviruses; D019562:Viral Load
D015415:Biomarkers; D016356:Gene Products, tax; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies