Familial Transmission of Human T-cell Lymphotrophic Virus: Silent Dissemination of an Emerging but Neglected Infection

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 7; no. 6; p. e2272
• Main Authors: Costa, Carlos Araujo da, Furtado, Karen Cristini Yumi Ogawa, Ferreira, Louise de Souza Canto, Almeida, Danilo de Souza, Linhares, Alexandre da Costa, Ishak, Ricardo, Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário, Lemos, José Alexandre Rodrigues de, Martins, Luisa Caricio, Ishikawa, Edna Aoba Yassui, Sousa, Rita Catarina Medeiros de, Sousa, Maísa Silva de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.06.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brazil - epidemiology; Breastfeeding & lactation; Child; Child, Preschool; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - epidemiology; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - transmission; Cross-Sectional Studies; Deltaretrovirus Infections - epidemiology; Deltaretrovirus Infections - transmission; Development and progression; Disease transmission; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Domestic relations; Families & family life; Family Health; Female; Health aspects; HIV; HTLV-I infections; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - isolation & purification; Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 - isolation & purification; Humans; Infant; Infections; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Lymphoma; Male; Medicine; Middle Aged; Mortality; Neglected Diseases - epidemiology; Population; Risk factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Studies; Young Adult; Brazil
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002272

HTLV-1 is a retrovirus that causes lymphoproliferative disorders and inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the central nervous system in humans. The prevalence of this infection is high in parts of Brazil and there is a general lack of public health care programs. As a consequence, official data on the transmission routes of this virus are scarce. To demonstrate familial aggregation of HTLV infections in the metropolitan region of Belém, Pará, Brazil. A cross-sectional study involving 85 HTLV carriers treated at an outpatient clinic and other family members. The subjects were tested by ELISA and molecular methods between February 2007 and December 2010. The prevalence of HTLV was 43.5% (37/85) for families and 25.6% (58/227) for the family members tested (95% CI: 1.33 to 3.79, P = 0.0033). Sexual and vertical transmission was likely in 38.3% (23/60) and 20.4% (29/142) of pairs, respectively (95% CI: 1.25 to 4.69, P = 0.0130). Positivity was 51.3% (20/39) and 14.3% (3/21) in wives and husbands, respectively (95% CI: 0.04 to 0.63, P = 0.0057). By age group, seropositivity was 8.0% (7/88) in subjects <30 years of age and 36.7% (51/139) in those of over 30 years (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.34, P<0.0001). Positivity was 24.1% (7/29) in the children of patients infected with HTLV-2, as against only 5.8% (4/69) of those infected with HTLV-1 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.72, P = 0.0143). The results of this study indicate the existence of familial aggregations of HTLV characterized by a higher prevalence of infection among wives and subjects older than 30 years. Horizontal transmission between spouses was more frequent than vertical transmission. The higher rate of infection in children of HTLV-2 carriers suggests an increase in the prevalence of this virus type in the metropolitan region of Belém.