RESUMO
Brazil may have the highest absolute number of individuals infected by human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). It has been suggested that the prevalence of HTLV-1 is increased in patients with skin diseases. This study shows a higher prevalence of this infection in 1,229 patients attending a Brazilian dermatology clinic (0.7%) when compared to blood donors (0.22%). Of note, one additional patient tested positive for HTLV-2. The main skin diseases described in HTLV-1 seropositives were vitiligo (2 cases), dermatophytosis (2 cases), and leprosy (2 cases). A 23-year-old woman received a diagnosis of infectious dermatitis.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Anti-HTLV-I/sangue , Infecções por HTLV-I/complicações , Infecções por HTLV-I/epidemiologia , Vírus Linfotrópico T Tipo 1 Humano/imunologia , Dermatopatias/complicações , Dermatopatias/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Instituições de Assistência Ambulatorial , Brasil/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Infecções por HTLV-I/virologia , Vírus Linfotrópico T Tipo 1 Humano/genética , Vírus Linfotrópico T Tipo 1 Humano/isolamento & purificação , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , PrevalênciaRESUMO
To determine the association between leprosy and HTLV-I, 450 and 394 leprosy patients in two sanatoriums in Japan (Sanatorium-A in Okayama prefecture and Sanatorium-B in Gunma prefecture) were investigated serologically for antibodies to HTLV-I. Serology was positive for HTLV-I in 38 (8.4%) of 450 leprosy patients in Sanatorium-A and in 34 (8.6%) of 394 patients in Sanatorium-B. Prevalence was much higher than that in the general population of these areas in Japan. A large proportion of HTLV-I-positive patients in both sanatoriums came from HTLV-I nonendemic areas in Japan, suggesting that HTLV-I infection occurred after the patients arrived at the sanatoriums. Infection through sexual contact or reuse of needles for frequent vaccination are possible routes of infection for HTLV-I in these cases.