Low prevalence of HTLV1/2 infection in a population of immigrants living in southern Italy.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

To assess the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections in a cohort of immigrants living in southern Italy.

Findings

We screened for antibody to HTLV-1/2 infection 1,498 consecutive immigrants born in endemic areas (sub-Saharan Africa or southern-Asia) by a commercial chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. If confirmed in a Western blot assay, which differentiates anti-HTLV-1 from anti-HTLV-2, the positive sera were tested for specific HTLV RNA by a home-made PCR. The immigrants investigated were more frequently males (89.05%), young (median age 26 years), with a low level of education (median schooling 6 years), born in sub-Saharan Africa (79.70%). They had been living in Italy for a median period of 5 months. Only one (0.07%) subject was anti-HTLV-1 -positive/HT

SUBMITTER: Alessio L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6034900 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature