Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 prevalence in northeastern Iran, Sabzevar: an epidemiologic-based study and phylogenetic analysis.
Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) is an important global health problem in the world mainly in the endemic areas of HTLV-I infection. It was previously reported that Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, is a new endemic region of HTLV-I. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-I in Sabzevar, located in the southeast of Mashhad. In this cross-sectional study 1445 individuals were selected by multistage cluster sampling. Serum samples were screened for anti-HTLV-I antibody using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); all of the ELISA-positive samples were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Long terminal repeat (LTR) sequencing was carried out to determine the type of HTLV-I in Sabzevar. In the primary screening by ELISA, 26/1445 (1.8%) of those sampled were reactive for HTLV-I antibody. Twenty-four out of 26 samples were confirmed HTLV-I infection by PCR (24/1445). The overall prevalence of HTLV-I infection in Sabzevar is 1.66%. The prevalence of the virus infection in men and women was 2.42% (11/455) and 1.31% (13/989), respectively. Seroprevalence was associated with age, increasing significantly among those older than 30 years (p=0.015), and a history of surgery (p=0.002), imprisonment (p=0.018), and hospitalization (p=0.005). Three out of 24 positive HTLV-I samples were selected for sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of LTR. The results showed that HTLV-I in Sabzevar belonged to the cosmopolitan subtype. The present study showed Sabzevar is a new endemic area for HTLV-I infection. Our study emphasizes that systemic HTLV-I screening of blood donors in Sabzevar and other cities in Khorasan province is important and should be taken into account.
Department of Neurology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Mahmoud Reza
MR
Azarpazhooh
Kazem
K
Hasanpour
Mohsen
M
Ghanbari
S A Rahim
SA
Rezaee
Baratali
B
Mashkani
Mohammad Reza
MR
Hedayati-Moghaddam
Narges
N
Valizadeh
Reza
R
Farid Hosseini
Mohsen
M
Foroghipoor
Azadeh
A
Soltanifar
Maryam
M
Sahebari
Keyhan
K
Azadmanesh
Gholahossein
G
Hassanshahi
Houshang
H
Rafatpanah
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult