title: Seroprevalence of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus-1/2 in Blood Donors in Northern Pakistan: Implications for Blood Donor Screening.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the seroprevalence of Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus-1/2 (HTLV-1/2) in blood donors in Northern Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawalpindi, from July to August 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2100 blood donors were screened for anti-HTLV-1/2 antibodies during the study period, in a pool of six, on a highly sensitive, Chemiluminiscent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) based system. The screening test-reactive donors were recalled, counseled and interviewed, and a fresh sample was obtained for confirmatory testing. Confirmation was performed using additional immunoassays including Line Immunoassay (LIA); with additional testing for HTLV-1 pvDNAPCR. Frequency and percentages were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four donors (0.19%) were repeatedly screening test-reactive and were subsequently confirmed to be HTLV-1 infected by line immunoassay and HTLV-1 pvDNAPCR. All four donors were male with mean age of 27 ± 6.27 years. Two (50%) of the positive donors gave history of Multiple Sexual Partners (MSP).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HTLV-1 seroprevalence in Northern Pakistan blood donors was determined to be 0.19%. Large scale studies, including the cost effectiveness of screening blood donations for anti-HTLV-1/2 in Pakistan, are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Screening, Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Saifullah Khan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Niazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Blood Transfusion, Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Farhat Abbas
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bhatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Blood Transfusion, Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion (AFIT), Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Nuzhat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salamat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D046148:Donor Selection; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies