Epidemiology of Human T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Virus

Abstract

Human T (thymus-derived)-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) is the first retrovirus consistently isolated from humans. Seroepidemiologic testing for antibodies to HTLV document the following. (1) HTLV is associated with a spectrum of mature T-cell lymphoreticular neoplasms. (2) HTLV is strongly associated with clusters of adult T-cell leukemia in Japan and a related syndrome, lymphosarcoma T-cell leukemia in the Caribbean. (3) Virus-positive infections from other areas of the world share similar clinicopathologic features, with some overlap with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Antibodies to HTLV are lacking in most persons with CTCL. (4) Virus-associated malignancy clusters in geographic areas where HTLV infection is prevalent, and virus positivity varies by country, region within country, age, and possibly race and sex. Although preliminary, the epidemiologic data suggest that HTLV is etiologically linked to a specific subtype of mature T-cell malignancy.

Study of Seroconversion of Antibody to Human T‐Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type‐I in Children of Okinawa, Japan

“…Since the discovery of HTLV-I, many seroepidemiologic studies of this new retrovirus have been carried out in several areas of the world (2,6,18). These studies have shown that the most endemic areas in the world were the southwestern part of Japan-Kyushu Island and the Ryukyu Archipelago including Okinawa.…”

“…The seroepidemiologic study of HTLV-I in the endemic areas of All (2,6) shows that there are many individuals positive for antibody to HTLV-I (anti-HTLV-I), who are regarded as carriers of' HTLV-I (3). The age-and sexspecific distribution of anti-HTLV-I positive individuals shows certain characteristic features (8,18).…”

The Microscope as a Tool for Disease Discovery—A Personal Voyage

“…Uchiyama et al (46) had described a high-grade T cell malignancy, adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), which was endemic in southwestern Japan. A viral etiology was suspected, and subsequently, Gallo and colleagues (47) (48,49). The pathological spectrum of ATLL was broad, but both serological studies for antibodies to the virus and molecular detection of viral sequences facilitated diagnosis (50).…”

Prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus in civilian applicants for the United States Armed Forces.

“…Surveys have reported the following high prevalences among adults in these areas of Japan: Nagasaki, 37%; Kagoshima, 24%; and Okinawa, between 10% and 51%. [5][6][7] Hawaiian-Japanese emigrants from Table). For this survey, specific identifier information (i.e., name and Social Security number) were unlinked from the specimen in order to ensure confidentiality.…”