title: HTLV-1 cosmopolitan and HTLV-2 subtype b among pregnant women of non-endemic areas of Argentina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1/2, HIV-1, hepatitis B virus (HBV), Trypanosoma cruzi, Treponema pallidum and Toxoplasma gondii infections and to identify the subtypes/subgroups of HTLV-1/2 among pregnant women (PW) from non-endemic provinces of Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Methods A total of 2403 samples were screened for HTLV-1/2 and confirmed by western blot and PCR. The long terminal repeat (LTR) of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 were amplified. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by Neighbour Joining by using molecular evolutionary genetics analysis (MEGA) 4.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among a total of 2403 PW studied, 6 (0.25%) tested positive for HTLV-1/2 (3 HTLV-1 (0.12%) and 3 HTLV-2 (0.12%)). The total prevalence when distributed by province was 0.3% (3/804) for Buenos Aires (BA), 0.4% (1/241) for BA surroundings, 0.1% (1/707) for Neuquen and 1.0% (1/95) for Ushuaia. In San Juan, no PW were HTLV-1/2 positive. The prevalence was similar when compared with rates among blood donors of the same areas and years. The phylogenetic analysis classified one sequence as HTLV-1 aA and one as HTLV-2b. The prevalence of HIV-1, HBV, T cruzi, T pallidum and T gondii was 0.6%, 0.2%, 1.4%, 1.2% and 20.9%, respectively. One case of HTLV-1/HIV-1 and one of HTLV-2/HIV-1 co-infection were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HTLV-1/2, which have been associated with different diseases, are circulating among PW of Argentina, even in non-endemic areas. Therefore, testing should be recommended in women who have risk factors for these infections given that the majority of HTLV-1/2 mother to child transmission can be prevented by the avoidance of breast feeding.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones, Biomédicas sobre Retrovirus y SIDA (INBIRS), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. cberini@fmed.uba.ar
authors.forename: Carolina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Berini
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delfino
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Rogelio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Espejo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pianciola
authors.forename: Mirna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juarez
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arribere
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eirin
authors.forename: Mirna M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Biglione
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors