High Prevalence of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Infection in Indigenous Women from the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

BackgroundIn an earlier study, we detected an association between human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infection and cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) in indigenous Amazonian Peruvian women of the Shipibo-Konibo ethnic group. As both HTLV and HPV can be transmitted sexually, we now report a population-based study examining the prevalence and risk factors for HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infection in this population.MethodsBetween July and December 2010, we conducted a comprehensive screening for HTLV among Shipibo-Konibo women 15 to 39 years of age living in two communities located in Lima and in 17 communities located within four hours by car or boat from the Amazonian city of Pucallpa in Peru.ResultsWe screened 1,253 Shipibo-Konibo women for HTLV infection 74 (5.9%) tested positive for HTLV-1, 47 (3.8%) for HTLV-2 infection, and 4 (0.3%) had indeterminate results. In the multivariate analysis, factors associated with HTLV-1 infection included: older age (Prevalence Ratio (PR): 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.08), primary education or less (PR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.25–3.24), younger or same age most recent sex partner (PR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.00–2.74), and having a most recent sex partner who worked at a logging camp (PR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.09–2.75). The only factor associated with HTLV-2 infection was older age (PR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03–1.12).ConclusionHTLV infection is endemic among Shipibo-Konibo women. Two characteristics of the sexual partner (younger age and labor history) were associated with infection in women. These results suggest the need for implementation of both HTLV screening during the antenatal healthcare visits of Shipibo-Konibo women, and counseling about the risk of HTLV transmission through prolonged breastfeeding in infected women. We also recommend the implementation of prevention programs to reduce sexual transmission of these viruses.

Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type I (HTLV-1) Infection among Iranian Blood Donors: First Case-Control Study on the Risk Factors

“…Conversely, in a case-control study by Rouet et al , low educational level was identified to be a main risk factor for HTLV-1 infection among blood donors in French West Indies [ 19 ]. Furthermore, Blas et al demonstrated that low literacy was indeed an important risk factor for HTLV-1 infection [ 20 ].…”

“…Similarly, Blas et al . could not find a significant association between the infection and breastfeeding due to very high prevalence of breastfeeding in both HTLV-1 seropositive and seronegative individuals [ 20 ]. On the other hand, breastfeeding was reported as one of the important risk factors for HTLV-1infection among blood donors from Taiwan with an odds ratio of 4.4 [ 22 ].…”

Origin and Prevalence of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (Htlv-1) and Type 2 (Htlv-2) Among Indigenous Populations in the Americas

“…In Venezuela, a high prevalence was found for HTLV-2, reaching 61% among Guahibo and Yaruro 83 , 84 , 106 , whereas in central and southern Bolivia, only HTLV-1 was detected among the Quechua and Aymara indigenous peoples, with a prevalence of 6.8% and 5.3%, respectively 51 . In the Peruvian Andes, Quechua and Aymara, the most populous indigenous groups in the region, also present solely HTLV-1, with prevalence rates from 1.6% to 2.82% 51 , 73 , 92 , 117 , whereas in the Amazon, the Peruvian Shipibo-Konibo notably carry both viruses, with high prevalence rates ranging from 1.43% to 5.9% 4 , 15 , 92 and 2.1% to 3.8% 4 , 15 for HTLV-1 and HTLV-2, respectively. A few cases of only HTLV-2 have also been reported in two other indigenous groups of the Peruvian Amazon 92 ( Table 1 ).…”

Health, Healthcare Access, and Use of Traditional Versus Modern Medicine in Remote Peruvian Amazon Communities: A Descriptive Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices

“…2 There are also additional threats to health in the region, with a significant burden of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria 9 and dengue, 10 other infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, 11 diarrhea (with sporadic cholera outbreaks), 12 , 13 and retroviral infections, including human immunodeficiency virus 14 (HIV) and human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV). 15 , 16 …”