Cutaneous Manifestations in HTLV-I Positive Blood Donors.
OBJECTIVE
Infection with the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type-I (HTLV-I) is endemic in Mashhad, Iran. In our research we evaluated the relation between exposure to this infection and the occurrence of dermatologic manifestations.


METHODS
100 blood donors, who were seropositive but asymptomatic for infection with HTLV-I, were selected as case group. They were identified by the Blood Transfusion Organization Mashhad via the ELISA test and documented by PCR. Another 100 blood donors, that were seronegative for HTLV-I via the ELISA test and who were matched to the case group for age, gender, and existence of systemic diseases, were considered as the controls. Dermatologic evaluations and skin biopsies were performed if deemed necessary, and the results were statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
73% of the case and control groups were male, while 27% in each of these groups were female. The mean age in both groups was 40.96±11.94 years. The examination indicated that 58% of the case group and 37% of the control group had cutaneous manifestations (P<0.01). The most common diseases found in the case group were aphthous stomatitis, herpes labialis, and non-genital warts, while common diseases found in the control group were herpes labialis, aphthous stomatitis, and skin tag. The frequency of aphthous stomatitis, eczema, and non-genital warts in the case group were significantly more than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion : Cutaneous diseases can be found more frequent in asymptomatic carriers of HTLV-I than those who are HTLV-I seronegative. The aphthous stomatitis, eczema, and non-genital warts are more prevalent in those infected by HTLV-I.
Research centre for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohammad Javad
MJ
Yazdanpanah
Research centre for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Masoud
M
Maleki
Research centre for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Nasaibe
N
Joneidi
Department of Internal Medicine ,Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Amir Reza
AR
Khalighi
Department of Neurology, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mahmoud Reza
MR
Azarpazhooh
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohammad
M
Khajedaluee
Research Centre of Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad, Iran.
Farahnaz
F
Tehranian
Research Centre of Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad, Iran.
Majid
M
Shahabi
Research Centre of Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohammad
M
Esmaeil Khayami
Research centre for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Fatemeh
F
Livani
Blood donors; Dermatologic manifestation; Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type-I