HTLV-I infection associated with disease in aboriginal Indians from British Columbia: a serological and PCR analysis.
BACKGROUND
Recent epidemiology studies have demonstrated the presence of HTLV-I and its close relative, HTLV-II in several aboriginal populations in North, Central and South America but not in Canadian Indian populations. HTLV-II appears to be more prevalent than HTLV-I in aboriginal populations of the Americas. Recently several clinical cases of HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and a case of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) have been identified in British Columbian Indians. This data suggests that a new endemic area of HTLV-I infection may be present within British Columbian Indian population. However, it has recently been shown that HTLV-II may also be associated with a neurological disease similar to HAM/TSP.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the work reported here was to demonstrate whether HTLV-I, HTLV-II or both were responsible for the diseases seen in the British Columbian Indians.


METHODS
In this study serological and gene amplification techniques were used to determine whether HTLV-I or HTLV-II was present in four families and three unrelated individuals all from different bands of aboriginal Native Indians in British Columbia. In each family, one member had an HTLV-associated disease, three cases of HAM/TSP and one case of ATL. Of the three individual aboriginal natives unrelated to the four families, two had HAM/TSP while the third was asymptomatic for HTLV-associated diseases.


RESULTS
This study demonstrated the presence of HTLV-I in the aboriginal Indians with disease and in some of their family members. HTLV-II was not detected in any of the British Columbian Indians tested in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
These British Columbian Indians represent the first Canadian aboriginal Indians with HTLV-I infection and associated diseases. Furthermore, the British Columbian Indian population may represent a previously unrecognized endemic population of HTLV-I infection.
Dekaban
G A
GA
Immunology Group, The John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
Oger
J J
JJ
Foti
D
D
King
E E
EE
Waters
D J
DJ
Picard
F J
FJ
Arp
J
J
Werker
D
D
Rice
G P
GP