NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE VARIATION OF HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIRUS TYPE-II IN VIETNAM

A high rate of human T-lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) infection has been documented in intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) in South Vietn am. We have investigated the molecular characteristics of the virus an d have shown that one HTLV-TI subtype is predominant in Ho Chi Minh Ci ty. This molecular subtype, HTLV-IIb, was identified in a number of So uth Vietnamese by nucleotide sequence analysis of the long terminal re peat (LTR) region. HTLV-IIa was not found. These findings suggest that HTLV-III, is endemic in IVDAs in South Vietnam, although IVDAs in urb an areas in North America are predominantly infected with HTLV-IIa.