Immunoepidemiologic studies of Strongyloides stercoralis and human T lymphoropic virus type I infection in Jamaica

ABSTRACT

Epidemilogic investigations of Strongyloides stercoralis and human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infections were conducted. Of 312 persons contacted, 209 (67 percent) provided blood and stool samples. Prevalences of S. stercoralis and HTLV-I antibodies were 26.8 percent and 8.1 percent (n = 198), respectively, and S. stercoralis larvae were detected in 4 percent. HTLV-I antibodies were significantly more common in persons positive for S. stercoralis larvae (10 [58.8 percent] of 17) compared with seropositive larvae-negative (4 [8.9 percent] of 45) or seronegative persons (9 [6.2 percent] of145) (P< .002). IgE levels increased with age in S. stercoralis-seropositive persons who were HTLV-I negative (P, .))2). However, there was an age-related depression of serum IgE in HTLV-I-positive persons (P < .003) that was sufficient to annul the IgE level-raising effect of S stercoralis seropositivity. The data provide evidence that HTLV-I infection is associated with increased frequency of larvae in the stool of S. stercoralis-infected persons and suggest that the mechanism may involve suppression of the IgE response (AU)