Seroepidemiology of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I/II in Benin (West Africa)

Abstract

In 1988-1989, a national survey was conducted in Benin to determine the distribution of HTLV-I infection in a representative sample of adult individuals. This study comprised 2625 healthy subjects recruited in the six provinces of Benin and 1300 blood donors from Cotonou and from the other five provinces. Sera were screened for HTLV-I antibody by both immunofluorescence (IF) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Sera positive or doubtful by at least one technique were further analyzed by Western blot and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) when indeterminate. Samples were considered as positive if they reacted with two gene products. No blood donor was positive. Over the 2625 subjects, 39 (1.5%) were positive. We observed a statistical difference between male and female (1%, 2%, p less than 0.05). A difference was also observed according to the areas studied: the HTLV-I antibody rate increased from coastal (0.3%) to northern (5.4%) provinces. HTLV-I seroprevalence increased significantly with age. This survey shows that HTLV-I infection exists in Benin but varies according to regions.

Seroprevalence of Human T-Cell Lymphoma/Leukemia Virus Type-1 (HTLV-1) Antibodies among Blood Donors at Ibadan, Nigeria

“…It also showed a higher prevalence rate among those with no multiple sexual partners (3.4% vs. 1.6%). These findings contrast a previous study which showed a higher prevalence rate among commercial sex workers, who have multiple sexual partners than married pregnant women [19]. We also report a higher prevalence rate of HTLV I and II among first time blood donors when compared with the return blood donors (3.6% vs. 2.7%) thus suggesting that regular blood donors are more likely to be safe.…”

“…Probably due to the lower number of the participants in that study. The result of the current study is also slightly higher than those obtained from other West African countries; 1.5% in one study in Benin Republic [19] and 2.1% in Ghana [20]. This study shows that the majority of the blood donors are below the age of 30 years (42.4%) when compared with those between the ages of 30 and 40 years (36.8%) and those above 40 years of age (20.8%).…”

“…There was also no significant association between the sero-prevalence of HTLV I/II and the level of education of the participants, but a higher percentage of positivity was found among those with secondary school education (3.7% vs. 2.9%). Sexual transmission of HTLV I and II appears to be relatively inefficient when compared with the transmission of HIV with a risk of HTLV I and II transmission from husband to wife to be 60.8% and from wife to husband to be 0.4% over a 10-year period [18][19][20][21][22][23]. This study did not show any significant association between sexual behaviours of the participants and the sero-prevalence of HTLV I and II.…”

Transmission of Tropical and Geographically Restricted Infections during Solid-Organ Transplantation

“…Relatively high HTLV-1 seroprevalence rates in the general population and in specific groups of individuals such as pregnant women and/or blood donor candidates are found in southwestern Japan (up to 10%) (262,407), in several countries in the Caribbean area including Jamaica and Trinidad (up to 6%) (155), in several sub-Saharan Africa countries (up to 5%) (8,110,133,324), and in localized areas of Iran and Melanesia (less than 5%) (239,261,299).…”

Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans

“…Africa is often considered to be the 1argest reservoir for HTL V -1 infection. It has been estimated that 5-10 million individuals may be infected Saxinger et al, 1 984;Verdier et al, 1994), in most tropical countries including Benin, Burkina-Fasso, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Senega1 and Tchad in west Africa (Biggar et al, 1984;Hunsmann et al, 1984;Saxinger et al, 1984;de Thé et al, 1985;de Thé & Gessain, 1986;De1aporte et aL., 1989a;Ouattara et al, 1989;Verdier et al, 1989;Dumas et al, 1991;Biggar et aL., 1993;Dada et al, 1993;Del Mistro et al, 1994;Verdier et al, 1994;Jeanne1 et al, 1995) and Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Congo, Gabon and Zaire in central Africa Saxinger et al, 1984;De1aporte et aL., 1989b;Goubau et al, 1990;De1aporte et al, 1991;Schrijvers et al, 1991;Goubau et al, 1993a;Garin et al, 1994;Mauclere et al, 1994;Tuppin et al, 1996). WhiIe most of these countries ex hi bit low HTL V -1 seropreva1ence overaII, areas of high prevalence have been detected in southern Gabon (Delaporte et al, 1989Schrijvers et aL., 1991) …”