HTLV-1 seroprevalence among blood donors and food handlers in Guyana - a preliminary report - abstract

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HTLV-1 seropositivity in those blood donors, food handlers and patients with symptoms suggestive of HTLV-1 infection who were seen at the Georgetown Hospital from July 15 to September 30, 1992. Sera were tested for HTLV-1 antibodies at the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre. Three hundred and fifty-four subjects were studied of whom 279 (79 per cent) were blood donors and 75 (21 per cent) food handlers; 3.9 per cent of the former (11/279) and 12.0 per cent of the latter (9/75) were seropositive with an overall seropositivity of 5.6 per cent. Although Indo-Guyanese accounted for about 40 per cent of the total sample there was only one Indo-Guyanese who was seropositive for HTLV-1. The presence of signs and symptoms associated with HTLV-1 infection was not a useful predictor of the disease (AU)