title: Prevalence of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Types I and II in Patients With Hematological Disorders in Isfahan, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human T-cell lymphotropic virus types Ι and ΙΙ (HTLV-Ι and HTLV-II) are deltaretroviruses which may cause leukemia, lymphoma and HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). In addition, HTLV-1 may be related to thalassemia and hemophilia cases after blood transfusion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was evaluation of the prevalence of HTLVs in patients with hematological disorders (leukemia, thalassemia, lymphoma and hemophilia).
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted during April to October 2012. A total of 101 serum samples were collected from patients and were stored at -20ºC. DNA was extracted from serum by an extraction kit. The extracted DNA was tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of HTLV-Ι and HTLV-II pol and tax gene sequences, respectively. Samples were collected from 67 (66.33%), 20 (19.80%), 4 (3.96%), and 10 (9.90%) patients with thalassemia, leukemia, lymphoma and hemophilia, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thalassemia sample was HTLV-Ι positive, but none of the samples contained the genome of HTLV-II. The prevalence of HTLV-Ι in this study in patients with hematological disorders was 0.99%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of HTLV-Ι in hematological disorders was similar to that of other parts of Iran. The present study revealed that HTLV-Ι screening should be performed before blood transfusion to reduce the risk of virus transmission in patients with hematological disorders. More study should be performed to detect these viruses in blood donors.
authors: Pathobiology Department, Research Institute of Zoonotic Diseases, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, IR Iran.
authors: Mohammadreza
authors: M
authors: Mahzounieh
authors: Department of Microbiology, Tehran University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors: Mohammadreza
authors: M
authors: Ghorani
authors: Microbiology and Immunology Department, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IR Iran.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Karimi
authors: Pathology and Hematology Department, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, IR Iran.
authors: Batoul
authors: B
authors: Pourgheysari
authors: Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University, Falavarjan Branch, Falavarjan, IR Iran.
authors: Razieh
authors: R
authors: Nikoozad
keywords: Hematological Diseases; Human T-lymphotropic Virus; Iran