Evaluating the frequency of HTLV-Ι/Π 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 idenfied in humans. The virus has been associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, human T-lymphotropic virus type I, myelopathy/tropical spasc paraparesis, uveis, arthris, pulmonary lymphocyc alveolis, keratoconjuncvis sicca, and infecous dermas. 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/IIinfecon among blood donors, major thalassemic paents and individuals infected with hepas 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 paents ,150 and individuals with hepas B and C and were tested for the presence of human T-lymphotropic virus type I/ IIspecific anbody in a 6 months period in 2007using ELISA and Western Blot tests Results: Blood donors tested were negave for human T-lymphotropic virus type I/IIinfecon, but in major thalassemic paents including 88 males and 62 females, 5 were posive (3.3%). Stascal analyses did not show any significant difference between genders. In individuals with hepas one was border line (HCV). Conclusion: The results indicate a low level of coinfecon of human T-lymphotropic virus with HCV in this part of the country. However, the observaon of a case with borderline findings, among this group and also posive cases among thalassemic paents, suggests the presence of the virus in blood donor populaon so this virus could be present in Isfahan but more invesgaon is needed to evaluate the need for screening tests to detec human T-lymphotropic virus type I among blood donors in Isfahan.connuing screening and educaon of parents and also mass media educaon against consuming “Fava bean” and “Naphtalen”.