The prevalence of antibodies to the human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV) in Ghana, West Africa.
AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses
; 9(6): 505-11, 1993 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8347395
ABSTRACT
We conducted a population-based serosurvey of urban areas and rural regions of southern Ghana, West Africa. Subjects (3763) of all ages were enrolled from 25 city and village sites and in studies of groups of special interest. "Positive" results were difficult to define because of a high frequency of results that were indeterminate on immunoblotting, the current standard for confirmation of HTLV-I. However, polymerase chain reaction results and HTLV type-specific discriminatory tests proved HTLV-I was present in Ghana. No HTLV-2 positivity was observed. By using strict criteria that considered indeterminate results as negative, the overall prevalence was found to be between 1 and 2% in all areas, with no difference by geographic location. Prevalence rose with age and was higher in adult women than men. However, in substudies of selected populations, we found HTLV prevalence among 124 persons with lymphomas and hematological malignancies was not different from that in the general population. Furthermore, the prevalence in prostitutes was similar to that in the general population and in pregnant women. HTLV-I is present in West Africa, but we were unable to associate HTLV-I seropositivity with malignancy or with prostitution.
Palavras-chave
Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Antibodies--analysis; Biology; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Diseases; English Speaking Africa; Epidemiologic Methods; Examinations And Diagnoses; Ghana; Immunity; Immunologic Factors; Laboratory Examinations And Diagnoses; Measurement; Physiology; Population; Population Characteristics; Prevalence; Research Methodology; Rural Population; Urban Population; Viral Diseases; Western Africa
Buscar no Google
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Anticorpos Anti-HTLV-I
/
Infecções por HTLV-I
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Newborn
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses
Assunto da revista:
SINDROME DA IMUNODEFICIENCIA ADQUIRIDA (AIDS)
Ano de publicação:
1993
Tipo de documento:
Article