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. 1991 Oct;107(2):429–433. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800049074

A serosurvey for HTLV-I among high-risk populations and normal adults in Egypt.

N T Constantine 1, M Fathi Sheba 1, A L Corwin 1, R S Danahy 1, J D Callahan 1, D M Watts 1
PMCID: PMC2272073  PMID: 1936162

Abstract

The prevalence of antibodies to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) was determined in high-risk groups and normal adults in Egypt. Among 647 individuals tested, 6 (0.9%) were confirmed positive by western blot analysis. These included 2 (0.7%) of 279 drug addicts, 1 (3.3%) of 30 patients with sexually transmitted diseases, and 3 (2.2%) of 133 healthy individuals. Antibody was not detected in 47 blood recipients or 158 prostitutes. There was no correlation between sex or geographical location and HTLV-I infection. Fifty-three of the 647 sera (8%) were initially reactive by ELISA, but only 12 sera were repeatedly reactive. Since only 4 of these repeatedly reactive sera were confirmed by the western blot, the frequency of false positives using the DuPont screening ELISA was 1.2% (8/643). Two additional sera, confirmed positive by western blot, had been reactive, but not repeatedly, by ELISA. In comparison to the prevalence of HTLV-I antibody among risk groups in many parts of the world, the prevalence in Egypt was low.

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Selected References

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