SEROPREVALENCE OF HUMAN T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIRUS, HEPATITIS-C VIRUS, AND HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS IN ASIAN-AMERICAN POTENTIAL BONE-MARROW DONORS

Background: Asian Americans are generally underrepresented both as vol unteer blood and bone marrow donors. Study Design and Methods: To inve stigate the risk of transfusion transmission of viruses that is associ ated with increasing participation by Asian American donors, antibodie s to human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), hepatitis C, and human immunod eficiency virus in Asian American volunteers recruited as potential bo ne marrow donors were measured. A total of 1354 Asian Americans were e nrolled in the study, of whom 54 percent were Chinese, 26 percent Japa nese, 9 percent Filipino, 4 percent Korean, 3 percent Indian, and 5 pe rcent of other Asian or mixed Asian and other ethnicity. The majority of the study population was aged 20 through 49 and of high socioeconom ic status, as indicated by education and income. Viral antibodies were measured with both screening enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and s upplemental testing, and polymerase chain reaction was used to resolve discrepant HTLV results. Results: Confirmed seroprevalence rates for HTLV were 0.15 percent with one manufacturer's Western blot and 0.3 pe rcent with the other; however, no sample was positive for HTLV types o r II in polymerase chain reaction. Confirmed seroprevalence to hepatit is C virus was 0.5 percent. No subject was seropositive for human immu nodeficiency virus. Conclusion: On the basis of the moderate size and high education level of this study population, it is concluded that As ian American volunteer bone marrow donors do not pose a greater risk f or transmission of HTLV type I or II, human immunodeficiency virus, or hepatitis C virus than does the average American blood donor.