title: Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-1 in a segregated population in Iran.
abstract: Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is an important health issue that affects a variety of endemic areas. The Khorasan province, mainly its capital Mashhad in northeastern Iran, was reported to be as one of these endemic regions. Torbat-e Heydarieh, a large city Southwest border to Mashhad with a segregated population was investigated for the prevalence and associated risk factors of HTLV-1 infection in 400 randomly selected individuals. Blood samples were tested for the presence of HTLV-1 antibodies via the ELISA method and then were confirmed by an Immunoblot test. For the presence of HTLV-1 in lymphocytes of infected subjects, PCR was performed on LTR and TAX regions. DNA sequencing of LTR fragment was also carried out to determine the phylogenetic of HTLV-1, using the Maximum likelihood method. HTLV-1 sero-reactivity (sero-prevalence) among the study population was 2% (8/400), of which 1.25% had HTLV-1 provirus in lymphocytes (actual prevalence). HTLV-1 infection was significantly associated with the age, marital status, and history of blood transfusion (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistical differences between HTLV-1 infection, and gender, surgery, and hospitalization. In regression analysis, age showed the most significant correlation with the infection (P = 0.006, OR = 4.33). Based on our phylogenetic study, the HTLV-1 prevalent sequence type of Torbat-e Heydarieh belongs to the cosmopolitan subtype A. HTLV-1 prevalence in Torbat-e Heydarieh (1.25%) is low comparing to those of both Mashhad (2-3%) and Neishabour (3.5-5%) in the province of Khorasan. Thus, traveling mobility and population mixing such as marriage, bureaucratic affairs, occupation, and economic activities could be the usual routs of HTLV-1 new wave of spreading in this segregated city.
authors.affiliation: Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Houshang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafatpanah
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torkamani
authors.affiliation: Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valizadeh
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Rosita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vakili
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Nutrition Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Baratali
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meshkani
authors.affiliation: Torbat-e Heydarieh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khademi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerayli
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sayed Hamid Reza
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mozhgani
authors.affiliation: Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Abdolrahim
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rezaee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D011533:Proviruses / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012307:Risk Factors; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Iran; epidemiology; human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1); human T-cell leukemia virus type 2 (HTLV-2)