title: Human T-lymphotropic Virus Co-infections in Adults Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
abstract: Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 or 2 (HTLV-1/2) co-infection in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can lead to increased morbidity. Because HTLV-1/2 shares a similar transmission route with HIV, HTLV-1/2 infection may be more prevalent in HIV-infected individuals. However, rates of HTLV-1/2 co-infection among HIV-infected individuals have not been studied recently in the United States.
  
  
  
  We conducted a cross-sectional study using serum from 292 HIV-infected subjects from one clinic in Virginia. Serum samples were tested for co-infection with HTLV-1/2 by commercial ELISA; positive results were then confirmed via western blot, which also differentiated between HTLV-1 and -2.
  
  
  
  Seven (2.4%) of the subjects were co-infected with HTLV-2. One subject (among the seven co-infected with HTLV-2) was co-infected with HTLV-1 (0.3%). The only demographic factor significantly associated with HTLV-2 infection was history of intravenous drug abuse (p=0.002).
  
  
  
  While our results are limited to a single city, our low rates of co-infection do not support routine screening for HTLV-1/2 co-infection among HIV-infected individuals in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Analytics and Discovery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA.
authors.forename: Alexandria E-B
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rossheim
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Analytics and Discovery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA.
authors.forename: Tina D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Analytics and Discovery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA. Electronic address: amadapaah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Stephanie B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Troy
mesh_terms: D060085:Coinfection / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Co-infection; HIV; HTLV; Human Immunodeficiency Virus; Human T-lymphotropic Virus