Molecular characterization of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 subtypes in a group of infected individuals diagnosed in Portugal and Spain

• Published in: AIDS research and human retroviruses Vol. 27; no. 3; p. 317
• Main Authors: Pádua, Elizabeth, Rodés, Berta, Pérez-Piñar, Teresa, Silva, Ana Filipa, Jiménez, Victoria, Ferreira, Filipa, Toro, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Base Sequence; Child; DNA, Viral - genetics; Female; Genes, env - genetics; Genetic Variation; HTLV-I Infections - classification; HTLV-I Infections - epidemiology; HTLV-I Infections - genetics; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - classification; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - genetics; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - isolation & purification; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Molecular Sequence Data; Molecular Typing; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Portugal - epidemiology; Spain - epidemiology; Terminal Repeat Sequences - genetics; Portugal; Spain
• DOI: 10.1089/aid.2010.0195

Over the past decade, Portugal and Spain received large numbers of immigrants from HTLV-1 endemic areas. Our aim was to investigate the diversity of subtypes circulating in these two countries and the introduction of new variants. We performed a molecular analysis of HTLV-1 strains in patients diagnosed since 1998. LTR and env proviral sequences from 26 individuals were analyzed to generate phylogenetic trees along with reference HTLV-1 subtypes from several geographic origins. Epidemiological and clinical data were recorded. Most subjects were immigrants (57.7%) from South America and Africa. All isolates belonged to the cosmopolitan A subtype. Most carried the transcontinental subgroup A, but five subjects carried subgroup D and one carried subgroup C, previously unreported in Europe. HTLV strains showed separate clusters linked to the patients' geographic origin. Although subjects with HTLV-1 infection tend not to be engaged in high-risk practices, silent dissemination of a broad diversity of HTLV-1 viruses may still occur.