title: Human T-lymphotropic virus and transfusion safety: does one size fit all?
abstract: Human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) are associated with a variety of human diseases, including some severe ones. Transfusion transmission of HTLV through cellular blood components is undeniable. HTLV screening of blood donations became mandatory in different countries to improve the safety of blood supplies. In Japan and Europe, most HTLV-infected donors are HTLV-1 positive, whereas in the United States a higher prevalence of HTLV-2 is reported. Many industrialized countries have also introduced universal leukoreduction of blood components, and pathogen inactivation technologies might be another effective preventive strategy, especially if and when generalized to all blood cellular products. Considering all measures available to minimize HTLV blood transmission, the question is what would be the most suitable and cost-effective strategy to ensure a high level of blood safety regarding these viruses, considering that there is no solution that can be deemed optimal for all countries.
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marano
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.|Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vaglio
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pupella
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.|Immunohaemathology and Transfusion Medicine Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Città Della Salute e Della Scienza, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Facco
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: Liviana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piccinini
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: Giancarlo Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Liumbruno
authors.affiliation: Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grazzini
mesh_terms: D001782:Blood Donors; D058731:Blood Safety / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D014943:Global Health; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology