title: Seroprevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and 2 in blood donors from the regional hospital of Valdivia, Chile.
abstract: It is estimated that 15-20 millions of people are infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1/2 (HTLV-1/2) worldwide, and 20-30% of them are Latin Americans. The seroprevalence rates vary according to geographic area, socio-demographic composition and individual risk behaviors. The impact of HTLV-1-associated diseases on the community, as well as the increasing concerns about blood transfusion safety due to infectious transmitted agents, has required mandatory screening assays of blood donors as an effective preventive strategy in HTLV-1 transmission. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of HTLV-1/2 in blood donors from Valdivia, southern Chile during the first year of mandatory screening of HTLV by Chilean government. Blood samples were collected from blood donors between May 2009 and 2010 at the Regional Hospital of Valdivia, Chile. Serum samples were screened for antibodies against HTLV-1/2 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay MUREX HTLV I + II Abbott. Among 6,237 samples tested by serological assay, 28 samples were reactive; nevertheless, confirmatory techniques indicate that only 15 samples were positive to HTLV-1. Our study shows HTLV-1 seroprevalence of 0.24%, indicating a similar seroprevalence associated with blood donors than previous reports for our country.
authors: Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Austral of Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Chandía
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Sotomayor
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Ordenes
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Salas
authors: Maritza
authors: M
authors: Navarrete
authors: Mauricio
authors: M
authors: Lopez
authors: Carola
authors: C
authors: Otth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic