title: Stable human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) subtype a/subgroup a endemicity in Amerindians from Northwest Argentina: a health problem to be resolved.
abstract: Jujuy province, in Northwest Argentina, is known to be endemic for HTLV-1 infection. Moreover, foci of HTLV-1 associated pathologies have also been described in this region. To gain an insight into the current situation of HTLV-1/2 in this endemic area, a seroprevalence and phylogenetic study was performed among a Kolla community from Abra Pampa city and surroundings. Out of 112 individuals, 11 (9.8%) were confirmed as HTLV-1 positive and no HTLV-2 infection was detected. The phylogenetic analysis of the LTR region showed that all the HTLV-1 sequences belonged to the Cosmopolitan subtype a/transcontinental subgroup A, and were closely related to reference sequences from Peru, Argentina, and the South of Brazil (P = 0.82). Considering the cultural and historical features of this community and in spite of the mandatory detection of anti-HTLV-1/2 antibodies in blood banks since 2005, it would be important to implement new public health measures focused on decreasing HTLV-1 transmission in this endemic area.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center for AIDS, Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. meirin@fmed.uba.ar
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eirin
authors.forename: Carolina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Berini
authors.forename: Leandro R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Dario A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dilernia
authors.forename: Alberto A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Puca
authors.forename: Mirna M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Biglione
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000821:virology; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000821:virology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral