title: Hospital-based surveillance for HTLV-1/2 infections in Spain.
abstract: In Western countries, HTLV-1 infection is recognized mainly among foreigners coming from endemic areas. In contrast, HTLV-2 is found predominantly in native intravenous drug users (IDUs). Spain has experienced a large wave of immigration, which could have influenced the current prevalence and distribution of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection. A 1-day cross-sectional survey was carried out in May 2005 in 13 hospitals distributed across Spain. A total of 2873 outpatient subjects were screened for HTLV-1/2 antibodies. Although the majority of the study population consisted of native Spaniards, 206 (7.2%) were immigrants. Two cases of HTLV-1 and one of HTLV-2 infection were found (overall prevalence, 0.1%). The two individuals with HTLV-1 were immigrants from endemic areas and the single case of HTLV-2 infection was a former Spaniard IDU coinfected with HIV-1. In summary, the current prevalence of HTLV-1/2 infection in Spain is low, with no evidence of spread beyond the classical risk groups. However, a rapidly growing population of immigrants from HTLV-1-endemic areas in Spain could modify this pattern and periodic surveillance studies including both natives and immigrants are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Service of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.forename: Estrella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuset
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Campello
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Iglesias
authors.forename: Raúl Ortiz
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: de Lejarazu
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eiros
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: del Romero
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benito
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: Otilia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: Aránzazu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amor
authors.forename: César
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez-Hernando
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soriano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006761:Hospitals; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies