Comparison of seropositivity of human T lymphotropic virus type 1 in mycosis fungoides patients and normal volunteers: a case-control study and review of literature.
BACKGROUND
There have been controversial reports about the possible association between mycosis fungoides (MF), its leukemic variant Siotazary syndrome (SS) and human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) in different geographical regions.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore any association between MF and presence of HTLV-1 infection in Iran.


METHODS
In a case-control setting, 150 clinically and histopathologically proven MF patients had been admitted to the tertiary referral skin center during a 10-year period and another 150 normal volunteers had been compared with each other for the presence of HTLV-1 infection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies against HTLV-1, and positive results were confirmed with western blotting.


RESULTS
Only three MF patients had HTLV-1 infection, whereas two cases of normal subjects had the infection (P > 0.05). The only three seropositive MF patients were male and from North-Eastern Iran.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that MF does not correlate with HTLV-1 infection in Iran.
Seirafi
Hassan
H
Razi Skin Hospital, Department of Dermatology and Center for Research & Training in Skin Diseases & Leprosy, Medical Sciences/University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Farnaghi
Farshad
F
Firooz
Alireza
A
Mostafa
Sana
S
Talaei-Khoei
Mojtaba
M
Davari
Parastoo
P
Gorouhi
Farzam
F
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis