Short report: Seroprevalence of retroviral infections among pregnant womenin Martinique (French West Indies)

A seroepidemiologic study of human T cell lymphotrophic virus type-1 (HTLV- 1) and human immunodeficiency virus (NN) infections was carried out in Mart inique among 467 pregnant women receiving prenatal care at the Martinique D epartment for the Protection of Motherhood and Childhood. A seroprevalence rate of 1.93% was found for HTLV-1 infection. No HIV serum marker was obser ved. Given the epidemiology of these viral diseases, it is suggested that s erologic status should be determined for all pregnant women on this island. A further, large-scale, prospective survey of MV seroprevalence in Martini que should be performed to confirm the results of the present study.