SEROPREVALENCE OF HUMAN T-CELL LEUKAEMIA LYMPHOMA VIRUS TYPE-I (HTLV-I) IN PREGNANT-WOMEN, PATIENTS ATTENDING VENEREOLOGICAL OUTPATIENT SERVICES AND INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS FROM SLOVENIA/

To establish current seroprevalence of human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) infection in some low-and high-risk populations from Slovenia, 10,369 and 869 serum samples collected during Slovenia n 1994 unlinked surveys of human immunodeficiency viruses seroprevalen ce in pregnant women and patients attending venereological outpatient services, respectively, and 219 serum samples collected from Slovenian intravenous drug abusers during 1995 and 1996, were screened for the presence of anti-HTLV-I antibodies using commercial particle agglutina tion test Serodia HTLV-I (Fujirebio, Tokyo, Japan), Only one sample ob tained from a pregnant woman was found repeatedly positive in the scre ening test, Presence of anti-HTLV-I antibodies in the reactive sample was undoubtedly confirmed with supplemental Western blot test, The pre valence of antibodies to HTLV-I in the Slovenian population might be s omewhere between one in 10,000 (0.01%) and one in 15,000 (0.0066%), wh ich is similar or even higher to prevalence rates in other European co untries.