Objective: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most frequent form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) involvement in MF progression is a matter of debate. The goal of the investigation was to search for HTLV-1 markers in a group of MF patients from a nonendemic area to HTLV-1. Materials and Methods: Fifty MF patients and 60 healthy donors from Moscow and the Moscow region were examined for HTLV-1 markers by Western blot, PCR, nested PCR, PCR/Southern hybridization, TaqMan real-time PCR and sequencing. Results: Plasma samples from MF patients were repeatedly negative for antibodies to HTLV-1 structural proteins. HTLV-1 tax-related sequences (corresponding to the second exon) were found in blood from 20 of 50 MF patients and in 3 of 5 saliva specimens. Three of 8 sequenced tax-like amplimers were identical and 5 of 8 contained 1–2 substitutions. tax transcripts and antibodies to p40^tax were detected in some ‘PCR-tax’-positive MF patients. Defective HTLV-1 genomes were demonstrated in 2 of 50 MF patients. Phylogenetic analysis of the defective genome 5′-LTR sequence revealed a relationship with HTLV-1a sequences from the transcontinental subgroup of HTLV-1. Conclusions: HTLV-1 tax-like sequences were revealed in blood and for the first time in saliva from MF patients living in an HTLV-1 nonendemic region. Expression of tax-like sequences was confirmed by both reverse transcription PCR and Western blot.

We studied the seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and GB virus-C (GBV-C) infections in 348 Siberian natives who lived in the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. Of 348 samples studied, the seroprevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBs were 11.8% (41 of 348 samples) and 35.9% (125 of 348 samples), respectively. The prevalence of HCV infection was 1.4% (5 of 348 samples), and that of GBV-C RNA, using RT-PCR methods, was 7.5% (26 of 348 samples). In Siberia, the prevalences of HBV and GBV-C infections were about tenfold higher than those in Japan. The prevalence of HBsAg in subjects under 50 years of age was significantly higher than that in those over 50 years old (P < 0.05). Because HBV infection is highly endemic in Siberia, we propose that the community-based mass immunization must be conducted as soon as possible in this area.

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The origin of HTL V-I and the ways in which it is spreading are of increasing interest. The detection of new clusters of this infection in different geographic regions is thus of great importance.In 1985 a clusterof HTL V-I infection was found among the Ainu people in Hokkaido (Japan), with a seropositive rate of 45% for individuals over age 40 (Ishida et al., 1985). Taking into consideration the geographical proximity of Hokkaido to the Far Eastern territories of Russia, as well as the past close relationship between native people of both countries, it would be important to investigate the level of HTLV-I prevalence among Far Eastern natives of Russia. The findings would probably help us to better understand the modes of transmission of HTL V-I in this part of the world. The prevulence of HTLV-I was studied in native Mongoloid populations presently inhabiting the Khabarovsk and Primorsk territories, Sakhalin and Kamchatka. Serum samples were collected from 4,118 healthy volunteers and blood donors over I7 years of uge, of both sexes. The native population (1,809 individuals) was represented by 9 ethnic groups. The other 2.309 individuals were Russians, Ukrainians and other immigrants from the central part of the country to Far Eastern Russia. Two commercial screening tests, HTLV-I EM (Ab-bott, North Chicago, I L ) and Serodia HTLV-I (Fujirebio, Tokyo, Japan), as well as confirmatory Western blot (WB) with cellular lysates of the HTL V-I-producing MT-2 cell line, recombinant gp 46 (~4 6 ) andp40 tux (p40) proteins, were used for detection of anti-HTLV-I antibodies. PCR analysis of DNA samples from seropositive individuals was carried out to detect HTLV-I provirus and to discriminate between HTLV-I and The results obtained demonstrated (Table I ) that 4 individuals (3S-I, 3s-5, 3s-10, 2s-708) fulfilled WHO criteria for HTLV-I seropositivity ( I 990). These individuals had high titers by Serodia HTLV-I; they were also repeatedly reactive by Abbott HTLV-I E M , and demonstrated the presence of H T L V-I gag-specific antibodies by viral WB. Recombinant protein-based WB showed seropositivity to a different extent with rgp46 eiiv and all but two with p40 tax.The presence of HTLV-I infection in 7 other individuals was proven on the basis of their serological reactivity to tpg46 env and p 4 0 tax as well as the results of PCR analysis. All 11 DNA samples but one (2s-708) were positive with at least one HTLV-I-specific pairprimer. N o DNA from 2s-708 was available and the latter was recognized us an H T L V-I cam'er on the basis of her immune response to gag and env specific viral