Low prevalence of HTLV1/2 infection in a population of immigrants living in southern Italy

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 Jun 25;12(6):e0006601. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006601. eCollection 2018 Jun.

Abstract

Aims: To assess the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections in a cohort of immigrants living in southern Italy.

Findings: We screened for antibody to HTLV-1/2 infection 1,498 consecutive immigrants born in endemic areas (sub-Saharan Africa or southern-Asia) by a commercial chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. If confirmed in a Western blot assay, which differentiates anti-HTLV-1 from anti-HTLV-2, the positive sera were tested for specific HTLV RNA by a home-made PCR. The immigrants investigated were more frequently males (89.05%), young (median age 26 years), with a low level of education (median schooling 6 years), born in sub-Saharan Africa (79.70%). They had been living in Italy for a median period of 5 months. Only one (0.07%) subject was anti-HTLV-1 -positive/HTLV-1 RNA-negative; he was an asymptomatic 27-year-old male from Nigeria with 6 years' schooling who stated unsafe sexual habits and unsafe injection therapy.

Conclusions: The data suggest screening for HTLV1 and HTLV-2 infections all blood donors to Italy from endemic countries at least on their first donation; however, a cost-effectiveness study is needed to clarify this topic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Female
  • HTLV-I Infections / epidemiology*
  • HTLV-I Infections / virology
  • HTLV-II Infections / epidemiology*
  • HTLV-II Infections / virology
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / immunology
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / isolation & purification*
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / immunology
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Prevalence

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Gilead Sciences S.r.l (000//ihq//14-07//1536) to NC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.