title: Rate of positive autoimmune markers in Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 carriers: a case-control study from Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection with high prevalence in the north-east of Iran, particularly in Mashhad, can lead to adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and a variety of autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to examine the presence of autoimmune markers in HTLV carries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were obtained from blood donors in Mashhad, northeastern Iran. One hundred and five HTLV-1 positive (cases) and 104 age- and sex-matched HTLV-1 negative donors (controls) were assessed for presence of serum autoimmune markers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ages of cases and controls were 40.8 ± 9.4 and 41.5 ± 9.3 years, respectively (P = 0.5). In the case group, 81.9% and in the control group 83.7% were male (P = 0.74). The frequency of positive antinuclear antibodies and anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in the serum of the two groups were not significantly different (P = 0.68 and P = 0.62, respectively). Only one antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive case (1%) was observed in the group and no anti-phospholipid immunoglobulin G positivity was observed. The frequency of rheumatoid factor (RF) was greater in case group than in the control group, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.08). The amount of RF in all 12 RF positive sera were higher than normal levels (33-37 IU/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because we failed to detect any significant relation between serum autoimmune markers and HTLV-1 infection, and because of the relatively low prevalence of autoimmune diseases, it could be concluded that healthy HTLV-1 carriers do not produce rheumatologic-related auto-antibodies more than the healthy population.
authors.affiliation: Blood Borne Infections Research Center, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Razavi Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Sanaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmadi Ghezeldasht
authors.affiliation: Blood Borne Infections Research Center, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Razavi Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hedayati-Moghaddam
authors.affiliation: Blood Borne Infections Research Center, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Razavi Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran.|Rheumatic Diseases Research Centre, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Meysam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine and Razavi Khorasan Blood Transfusion Center, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mollahosseini
authors.affiliation: Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases Research Centre, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Houshang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafatpanah
authors.affiliation: Blood Borne Infections Research Center, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Razavi Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Rahele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miri
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Research Centre, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: MohammadReza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatef Fard
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Diseases Research Centre, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahebari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000075422:Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000097:blood; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000075422:Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: HTLV-1; HTLV1; Human T lymphotropic virus type 1; Iran; autoimmune markers; autoimmunity; case-control study