Detection of antibodies to HTLV-i and -IIi in sera from Japanese hemophiliacs
Abe, T.; Kinoshita, T.; Matsuda, J.; Ryu, T.; Ting, R.C.; Aoki, T.; Robert-Guroff, M.; Miyakoshi, H.; Gallo, R.C.
Cancer Research 45(9 Suppl): 4621s-4623s
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-5472 PMID: 2990696 Document Number: 252214
Sera from 50 Japanese hemophiliacs were screened for antibodies to human T-lymphotropic retrovirus types I and III (HTLV-I and -III). As a whole, antibody to HTLV-I, antibody to HTLV-III, and antibodies to HTLV-I and -III were detected in sera from 2, 17, and 6 hemophiliacs, respectively. Among them, two hemophiliacs developed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who were positive for both antibodies to HTLV-I and -III in sera. All of the others were asymptomatic. Most of the blood products transfused into these hemophiliacs were imported from abroad, whence the source of HTLV-III infection presumably originated. However, since quite a high percentage of these antibody-positive hemophiliacs was positive for antibody to HTLV-I, even though they are native residents in HTLV-I nonendemic areas of Japan, some special factors may have participated in HTLV-I infection. These special factors should be investigated in the future.