Low prevalence of HTLV1/2 infection in a population of immigrants living in southern Italy.

• Published in: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Loredana Alessio, Carmine Minichini, Mario Starace, Laura Occhiello, Mara Caroprese, Giovanni Di Caprio, Caterina Sagnelli, Luciano Gualdieri, Mariantonietta Pisaturo, Lorenzo Onorato, Gaetano Scotto, Margherita Macera, Stefania De Pascalis, Evangelista Sagnelli, Nicola Coppola
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2018
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006601; https://doaj.org/article/7a821623b8964836b0d56f44e2a7ce92

To assess the prevalence of HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections in a cohort of immigrants living in southern Italy.We screened for antibody to HTLV-1/2 infection 1,498 consecutive immigrants born in endemic areas (sub-Saharan Africa or southern-Asia) by a commercial chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. If confirmed in a Western blot assay, which differentiates anti-HTLV-1 from anti-HTLV-2, the positive sera were tested for specific HTLV RNA by a home-made PCR. The immigrants investigated were more frequently males (89.05%), young (median age 26 years), with a low level of education (median schooling 6 years), born in sub-Saharan Africa (79.70%). They had been living in Italy for a median period of 5 months. Only one (0.07%) subject was anti-HTLV-1 -positive/HTLV-1 RNA-negative; he was an asymptomatic 27-year-old male from Nigeria with 6 years' schooling who stated unsafe sexual habits and unsafe injection therapy.The data suggest screening for HTLV1 and HTLV-2 infections all blood donors to Italy from endemic countries at least on their first donation; however, a cost-effectiveness study is needed to clarify this topic.