Prevalence of human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) type II infection among high-risk individuals: type-specific identification of HTLVs by polymerase chain reaction

Abstract

The extent of human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type II (HTLV-II) infection and its rate of spread have been difficult to determine owing to the serological cross-reactivity between HTLV-I and HTLV-II. The present study overcame this problem by directly detecting type-specific proviral sequences by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and liquid hybridization. Screening was performed on a cohort of primarily white intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs), and individuals of other behaviorally defined risk groups from the New York City area. Eleven percent (19 of 169) of the individuals in these high-risk groups were determined by PCR to have HTLV-II proviral infections. One of these patients displayed an exfoliative erythrodermatitis. Thirteen of the 19 subjects were positive in an HTLV-II enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The remaining six individuals, although negative in the HTLV- II ELISA, were confirmed as HTLV-II positive by analyzing their DNA with a second HTLV-II-specific primer detector system. Four additional individuals were reactive in the HTLV-II ELISA but were PCR-negative for HTLV-II. PCR analysis for HTLV-I revealed that all four were positive for that virus. Thirty-seven percent (seven of 19) of the HTLV- II PCR-positive subjects were also PCR-positive for HTLV-I, and 84% (16 of 19) of the HTLV-II positive individuals were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Six individuals were triply infected with HTLV-I, HTLV-II, and HIV-1.

Infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cell lines by cell-free human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus type I

“…The virus has been detected worldwide and has been found to be endemic in certain parts of the world, including Japan, sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and Melanesia (20,27). Throughout the world, intravenous-drug abusers have particularly high prevalence rates of HTLV-I infection (6).…”

Sensitivity and specificity of human T‐lymphotropic virus (HTLV) types I and II polymerase chain reaction and several serologic assays in screening a population with a high prevalence of HTLV‐II

“…Recently, the development of virus‐specific recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides has allowed the serologic differentiation of HTLV‐I and HTLV‐II in most cases. Although currently used for research only, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and detection of HTLV‐I‐ or HTLV‐II‐specific proviral DNA sequences also permits type‐specific diagnosis 20 …”

Assessment of risk factors associated with HTLV-1/-2 infection among people living with HIV/AIDS in Bauchi State, Nigeria

“…Globally, the highest prevalence of HTLV/HIV coinfection documented was 52% from an Iranian study [19]. This could possibly be due to the high rates of drug addiction and injection drug use, in addition to other risky behaviors such as needle sharing, tattooing, and multiple sexual partners.…”