EVALUATION OF HTLV-I II INFECTION IN BLOOD-DONORS IN BUENOS-AIRES/

HTLV-I and HTLV-II are two related retroviruses that are transmitted b y sexual contact, breast feeding, blood transfusion and needle sharing . In this study the prevalence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II was evaluated in voluntary blood donors as a measure of the infection in the general po pulation. Samples were tested by a gelatine particle agglutination tes t and repeatedly reactive samples were confirmed by Western blot tests (WBT), enriched with recombinant rgp21, rgp46I y rgp46II proteins, wh ich differentiates HTLV-I acid HTLV-II antibodies. Of 19,426 samples, 40 were repeatedly reactive by particle agglutination (0.21%). When an alyzed by WBT, 6 met the criteria for HTLV-I (0.036%), 2 for HTLV-II ( 0.01%) and 1 for HTLV-I/II, 13 samples were indeterminate and 18 were negative. The prevalence is low and comparable to that from non endemi c countries. Screening for anti HTLV-I/II antibodies is necessary to p revent transmission through blood transfusions.