Infection with Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type I in Patients with Leukemia

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 318; no. 4; pp. 219 - 222
• Main Authors: Minamoto, Grace Y, Gold, Jonathan W.M, Scheinberg, David A, Hardy, William D, Chein, Nancy, Zuckerman, Evelyn, Reich, Lilian, Dietz, Kathleen, Gee, Timothy, Hoffer, Jack, Mayer, Klaus, Gabrilove, Janice, Clarkson, Bayard, Armstrong, Donald
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 28.01.1988
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Antibodies, Viral - analysis; Antigens; Biological and medical sciences; Blood products; Deltaretrovirus Antibodies; Deltaretrovirus Infections - etiology; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Leukemia; Leukemia - complications; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Male; Medical sciences; Patients; Risk Factors; Transfusion Reaction; Viral infections; Viruses; United States > US; Japan; Infection; Virus; Human; Transfusion; Leukemia; Viral disease; Risk factor; Transmission; Retroviridae; Hemopathy; Serology; HTLV-I virus
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM198801283180405

Among 211 adults with leukemia who received multiple transfusions, 6 were found to be seropositive for human T-cell leukemia virus Type I (HTLV-I). Before the positive serum specimens were obtained, these patients received a mean of 14 units of red cells and 78 units of platelets. Seroconversion could be documented in three patients. None of the 6 patients seropositive for HTLV-I had a T-cell leukemia, other illnesses attributable to HTLV-I infection, or risk factors for HTLV-I infection other than transfusion: none were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus. Patients with leukemia who receive multiple transfusions appear to be at risk for HTLV-I infection. (N Engl J Med 1988; 318: 219–22.) HUMAN T-cell leukemia virus Type I (HTLV-I) has been associated primarily with adult T-cell leukemia. The virus is endemic in some areas of Japan, 1 2 3 the Caribbean, 4 5 6 7 8 Africa, 9 10 11 12 the southeastern United States, 13 and South America. 14 It is thought to be transmitted through sexual contact, from mother to fetus, through transfusion of infected blood products, 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 and by sharing of contaminated needles among drug abusers. 22 Patients with leukemia receive large quantities of blood products as part of their treatment. Evidence of infection in such patients may be a sensitive indicator of the prevalence of a variety of viruses in the blood-donor population. We . . .