Human T-lymphotropic virus seroprevalence in riparian communities in the northeastern region of Pará State, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) was the first human retrovirus identified, and it is associated with several debilitating diseases. Pará State has the third highest frequency rate of HTLC infections among blood donors in Brazil. Its riparian communities lack educational policies and health care assistance mainly because they inhabit "furos" (Amazonian river channels) and do not have easy access to urban centers. This study aimed to investigate the infection by HTLV in riparian communities of northeastern Pará included in the Luz na Amazônia Program between February 2009 and June 2010. A total of 175 riparian individuals were selected for detection of anti-HTLV-1/2 antibodies: 30 from the São Pedro community (Municipality of Acará), 62 from the Furo do Aurá Community (Municipality of Belém), and 83 from Santa Maria (Municipality of Acará). In the HTLV-reactive individuals we used molecular methods to confirm infection and identify the viral type. HTLV-2 was not found in the study samples. The overall prevalence of HTLV-1 was 1.14% (2/1 75), ranging from zero (0/34) in São Pedro to 1.20% (1/83) in Santa Maria and 1.61 % (1/62) in Furo do Aurá. HTLV-1 was identified in two of 117 (1.35%) families from all three communities. We reported no evidence of familial transmission through testing of samples. HTLV-2 was not found in the samples tested. This study demonstrates the occurrence of HTLV-1 in the riparian communities studied, with frequency rates similar to those of urban populations, which warrants further research and actions to prevent diseases associated with HTLV in these communities.