Human T-Cell leukaemia virus type 1(HTLV):A prospectus sero-epidemiological study, Lusaka, Zambia
Date
2011-03-31
Authors
Kasolo, Chisaka Francis
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Abstract
HTLV-1 is a retro-virus responsible for pathological
disorders such as Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (TSP)
and Adult T cell Leukaemia/Lymphoma (ATL). The main
characteristic of HTLV-1 infection is its long period
of latency and the age related sero-prelavence,
especially in endemic areas. A sero-prevalence study
of HTLV-1 at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH),
Lusaka, Zambia, was done. Two populations namely
healthy blood donors and Patients admitted to UTH with
pathology thought to be related to HTLV-1 infection
were included in this study.
The objectives of this study were:
1. To establish the seroprevalence of HTLV-l among
blood donors and patients admitted to UTH.
2. To find out whether the presence of HTLV-1 specific
antibodies has any relationship with age, sex, HIV
infection, Hepatitis B infection or with any
particular pathology.
Collected sera were tested for HTLV-l specific
antibodies by using Particle agglutination test (PA)
and Enzyme immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA).
Serum positive on at least one test was subjected to
a confirmatory Western Blot test, (Fijirebio)
A total of 339 Blood donor and 107 patient sera were
tested.
A total of 26 sera were positive on PA test, 2 were
positive on ELISA, and none on Western Blot.
Of the sera testing positive on PA, 23 were from the
blood donor sera and 3 were from patient sera.
On ELISA test one sample each from the blood donor and
patient sera was positive. When the 26 PA positive
sera were subjected to Western Blot test, 15 were
clear negative, 11 were indeterminants and none were
positive.
The commonest Protein band seen on Western Blot was
the gag encoded protein P19. There was no significant
relationship between HTLV-1 Indeterminants and HIV
positive sera or between HTLV-1 indeterminants and
Hepatitis B surface Antigen positive sera.
The test method used showed varied specificity and
sensitivity. The difference may have been due to a
false positive result, arising possibly from high
levels of circulating immune complexes commonly
associated with frequent parasitic, bacterial and
viral infections which are prevalent among populations
in the tropics.
The absence of specific anti-HTLV-1 antibodies
following the use of confirmatory test, may be related
to sampling technique employed in this study.
On the other hand this could suggest a low prevalence
of HTLV-l infection in Zambia as opposed to reports
from other African studies.
The indeterminant results obtained on Western Blot may
support the long latency associated with HTLV-l
infection.
The indeterminants may be in the process of seroconverting
and thus will need to be followed
up over a period in order to establish their true
status.
Cross reactivity with other retroviruses could also
be a likely cause of indeterminant results
Description
Keywords
Leukaemia