Low prevalence of HTLV1/2 infection in a population of immigrants living in southern Italy.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
; 12(6): e0006601, 2018 06.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29940042
ABSTRACT
AIMS:
To assess the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections in a cohort of immigrants living in southern Italy.FINDINGS:
We screened for antibody to HTLV-1/2 infection 1,498 consecutive immigrants born in endemic areas (sub-Saharan Africa or southern-Asia) by a commercial chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. If confirmed in a Western blot assay, which differentiates anti-HTLV-1 from anti-HTLV-2, the positive sera were tested for specific HTLV RNA by a home-made PCR. The immigrants investigated were more frequently males (89.05%), young (median age 26 years), with a low level of education (median schooling 6 years), born in sub-Saharan Africa (79.70%). They had been living in Italy for a median period of 5 months. Only one (0.07%) subject was anti-HTLV-1 -positive/HTLV-1 RNA-negative; he was an asymptomatic 27-year-old male from Nigeria with 6 years' schooling who stated unsafe sexual habits and unsafe injection therapy.CONCLUSIONS:
The data suggest screening for HTLV1 and HTLV-2 infections all blood donors to Italy from endemic countries at least on their first donation; however, a cost-effectiveness study is needed to clarify this topic.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Virus Linfotrópico T Tipo 1 Humano
/
Infecciones por HTLV-I
/
Virus Linfotrópico T Tipo 2 Humano
/
Infecciones por HTLV-II
Tipo de estudio:
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
Año:
2018
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia