Short Communication: Impact of COVID-19 on Case Reporting for HTLV and HIV-2 in Spain

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2021 Aug;37(8):610-612. doi: 10.1089/AID.2021.0013. Epub 2021 Jul 12.

Abstract

The medical demand imposed by COVID-19 has distracted proper care of other illnesses. Herein, we report the impact on new diagnoses of HTLV-1, HTLV-2, and HIV-2 in Spain, where these infections are mostly driven by immigration flows from endemic regions. As expected, case reporting declined for all three retroviral infections with respect to prior years. Furthermore, late presentations were more common. The two major reasons for these observations were significant declines in the arrival of foreigners from endemic regions and a shift in medical resources to prioritize COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; HIV-2; HTLV; immigration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • Deltaretrovirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Deltaretrovirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Emigration and Immigration / legislation & jurisprudence
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-2 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Spain / epidemiology