PREVALENCE OF INFECTION BY HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA-VIRUS TYPE-I AND TYPE-II IN SOUTHERN SPAIN

To assess the spread of human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) type I and II in different population groups at potential risk of infection in Sp ain, a total of 756 subjects were studied: 453 belonging to groups at risk for retrovirus infection, 255 with diseases potentially linked to HTLV-I/II infection and 48 immigrants from endemic areas. An HTLV-I v iral-lysate enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with a recombinant transmembrane envelope protein incorporated was used to screen serum samples. Reacti ve specimens were confirmed by Western blot strips spiked with recombi nant proteins that differentiated HTLV-I from HTLV-II. Infection was t hen verified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum samples fro m 19 of the 756 subjects analyzed (2.5 %) were reactive for HTLV by EI A. One of these was from an intravenous drug user (IVDU) in whom HTLV- II infection was confirmed by Western blot and PCR; a specimen from an other IVDU showed Western blot reactivity for both retroviruses, but P CR results were negative. Lastly, Western blot confirmed the presence of HTLV in one of the immigrant subjects. Western blot did not verify HTLV infection in the remaining 16 cases, indicating a high rate of no nspecific anti-HTLV reactivity when a second-generation EIA screening test was applied. These results suggest that HTLV is present in Spain among populations at high risk for HTLV, although at a very low rate a nd restricted to intravenous drug users and individuals immigrating fr om endemic areas.