EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIRUS TYPE-II (HTLV-II) INFECTION IN SPAIN

The human T-lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) has recently been ass ociated with the genesis of some subacute neurological syndromes and, rarely, with atypical T-lymphoid malignancies. The virus is endemic in some Amerindian and African tribes, and among intravenous drug users (IDUs) in North America and Europe. Given that HTLV-II is transmitted by the same routes as other human retroviruses, the screening of antib odies to HTLV-II in blood donors has became a matter of controversy in some countries. Herein, we describe the clinical, epidemiological and virological features of 113 individuals with HTLV-II infection identi fied in Spain up to September 1995. Most of them (94/113; 83%) were ma le, and all but seven were natives. Four were African immigrants livin g in Madrid and 3 had been born in other European countries. All but s ix subjects were IDUs, and sexual transmission of HTLV-II and transfus ion were involved in five and one individual, respectively. Eighty-fou r percent of the IDUs infected with HTLV-II were co-infected by HIV-1 (93/107). Clinical manifestations potentially linked to HTLV-II were a bsent, although an IDU male co-infected by HIV-1 and HTLV-II developed a severe non-inflammatory proximal myopathy. In conclusion, HTLV-II i nfection is present in Spain, mainly among IDUs, with a growing incide nce and a current overall prevalence of 2.0 percent.