CHANGES IN HEMATOLOGIC PARAMETERS AMONG JAPANESE HTLV-I CARRIERS

Hematologic data from 1,039 persons who participated in the Miyazaki C ohort study on human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I) infecti on were analyzed. Individuals were classified by HTLV-I antibody statu s and the presence of abnormal lymphocytes (Ably). We identified sever al differences in selected leukocyte populations: lymphocyte percent w as higher among the HTLV-I carriers with Ably (36.5 +/- 2.0%, n = 29) compared with the carriers without Ably (33.1 +/- 0.6%, n = 299) and t he seronegatives (34.6 +/- 0.4%, n = 711) (p = 0.04). Conversely, ther e was a trend of decreasing eosinophil percent among both carrier grou ps with the lowest percent among carriers with Ably (1.8 +/- 0.5%) com pared with the seronegatives (2.8 +/- 0.1%) (p = 0.05). Mean basophil percent w ,decreased among both carriers groups (p = 0.09). Additional ly, red cell count was elevated among the carriers with Ably (461 +/- 17 x 10(4)/mm(3)) compared with the seronegatives (446 +/- 2 x 10(4)/m m(3)) (p = 0.03). The HTLV-I carriers with Ably had lower serum albumi n (4.39 +/- 0.05 g%) compared with the seronegatives (4.47 +/- 0.01 g% ) (p = 0.10). These alterations may be a consequence of HTLV-I infecti on, with the greatest changes among carriers with Ably, a subset thoug ht to be at risk for developing adult T-cell leukemia.