Hematologic and biochemical changes associated with human T lymphotropic virus type 1 infection in Jamaica: a report from the population-based blood donors study.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated changes in hematologic and biochemical parameters associated with human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection, antibody titer, and provirus load. Additionally, on a subset of participants, we assessed the epidemiologic relationship of HTLV-1 with Strongyloides stercoralis.


METHODS
Among volunteer blood donors in Jamaica, HTLV-1 carriers (n=482) were frequency matched with HTLV-1 negative subjects (n=355) by age (+/-5 years), sex, and date of blood donation (+/-3 months). HTLV-1 antibody titer, provirus load, S. stercoralis IgG antibodies, complete blood cell count, blood chemistry, and urinalysis parameters were measured.


RESULTS
HTLV-1 carriers, compared with HTLV-1-negative individuals, had elevated levels of cleaved lymphocytes (24.5% vs. 16.4%), any lymphocyte abnormalities (atypical, cleaved, and reactive lymphocytes combined, 45.7% vs. 35.4%), and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels (21.2 vs. 19.6 IU/L), as well as lower eosinophil count (2.6% vs. 3.1%). Among carriers, HTLV-1 antibody titer (n=482) was inversely correlated with mean corpuscular volume (r=-0.10) and positively correlated with levels of total protein (r=0.16), phosphorus (r=0.12), and lactate dehydrogenase (r=0.24). HTLV-1-provirus load (n=326) was higher among carriers with cleaved lymphocytes and any lymphocyte abnormalities. Provirus load was inversely correlated with hemoglobin (r=-0.11), mean corpuscular volume (r=-0.15), neutrophil (r=-0.12), and eosinophil (r=-0.19) levels and was positively correlated with lactate dehydrogenase levels (r=0.12). Provirus load was significantly higher among male than female subjects. S. stercoralis antibodies were detected in 35 (12.1%) of 288 participants but were not associated with HTLV-1 status, antibody titer, or provirus load.


CONCLUSIONS
Markers of HTLV-1 infection (infection status, antibody titer, and provirus load) are associated with hematologic and biochemical alterations, such as lymphocyte abnormalities, anemia, decreased eosinophils, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels.
Chaturvedi
Anil K
AK
Viral Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. chaturva@mail.nih.gov
Wilson
Marianna
M
Sanders-Lewis
Kolby A
KA
Katki
Hormuzd A
HA
Urquhart
Nicole
N
Walters
Michael A
MA
Miley
Wendell
W
Cranston
Beverly
B
Hanchard
Barrie
B
Hisada
Michie
M
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001782:Blood Donors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016482:Urinalysis; D019562:Viral Load
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase