EPIDEMIOLOGIC FEATURES OF HTLV1 INFECTION IN CENTRAL-AFRICA

Subsaharian Africa is the most important reservoir of HTLV1 virus but its epidemiology is not well-known. The authors have studied from 1987 to 1990 the situation in 6 countries in Central Africa. The already d escribed routes of transmission are present: through blood transfusion s (but it's not such a common practice), heterosexual transmission (bu t it doesn't seem to be as important as in other continents), and moth er to child transmission through breast feeding. Nevertheless, environ mental factors - which have to investigated - could play a role for tr ansmission, among them one could think to vectors and parasites.