Evaluating the frequency of HTLV-Ι/II infection among blood donors, major thalassemic patients and individuals infected with hepatitis B and C viruses in Isfahan, Iran

Background: The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I is the first retrovirus identified in humans. The virus has been associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, human T-lymphotropic virus type I, myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, uveitis, arthritis, pulmonary lymphocytic alveolitis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and infectious dermatitis. Human T-lymphotropic virus type Iis endemic in Japan, parts of central Africa, the Caribbean basin and South America, Melanesia and Iran (city of Mashhad). The aim of this study was to evaluate serological prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus type I/IIinfection among blood donors, major thalassemic patients and individuals infected with hepatitis B and C viruses in the city of Isfahan, Iran.Materials and Methods: Sera were collected from 140 blood donors (440 samples), 150 major thalassemic patients ,150 and individuals with hepatitis B and C and were tested for the presence of human T-lymphotropic virus type I/IIspecific antibody in a 6 months period in 2007using ELISA and Western Blot testsResults: Blood donors tested were negative for human T-lymphotropic virus type I/IIinfection, but in major thalassemic patients including 88 males and 62 females, 5 were positive (3.3%). Statistical analyses did not show any significant difference between genders. In individuals with hepatitis one was border line (HCV).Conclusion: The results indicate a low level of coinfection of human T-lymphotropic virus with HCV in this part of the country. However, the observation of a case with borderline findings, among this group and also positive cases among thalassemic patients, suggests the presence of the virus in blood donor population so this virus could be present in Isfahan but more investigation is needed to evaluate the need for screening tests to detec human T-lymphotropic virus type I among blood donors in Isfahan