HTLV-I SEROPREVALENCE IN THE SULTANATE-OF-OMAN

2329 subjects (blood donors and patients) from various areas of the Su ltanate of Oman were investigated for the presence of HTLV-I antibody by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method. 10 subjects (0.4%), including 9 /1586 blood donors (0.6%) and 1/165 patients with sexually transmitted diseases (0.6%), were found to be Ela seropositive with a regional va riation in seroprevalence of 0-1.4%. 6/9 EIA seropositive samples from blood donors yielded 'indeterminate' results on Western immunoblot an alysis (WBA). A much larger survey with additional confirmatory assays such as a radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA), should provide a mor e conclusive picture of the prevalence of this retroviral infection in the Sultanate.