Seroprevalence and Molecular Epidemiology of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 in Blood Donors from Dakar, Senegal

Abstract

In 2002, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 seroprevalence was 0.16% (8/4,900) in blood donors from Dakar, Senegal. Most of the positive donors originated from the country's southern region. Seven donors were infected by HTLV-1 (of cosmopolitan subtype), and one was infected by HTLV-2. These data highlight the problem of transfusion safety in this area where HTLV-1-associated lymphoproliferative and neurological diseases are endemic.

HTLV infection among foreign pregnant women living in Spain

“…Previous evidence of HTLV-2 in Sub-Saharan Africa has mainly been reported among Pygmies in Central Africa 5,9,28 and occasionally in other ethnic groups in West Africa nearby Ghana. 29,30 In summary, this survey of HTLV seroprevalence among foreign pregnant women living in Spain supports screening of HTLV antibodies in antenatal clinics for women coming from HTLV-1 endemic areas.…”

“…For the purpose of this study, Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Japan, Iran and Australia were considered as HTLV-1 endemic areas, although a wide range of HTLV-1 rates may exist within and between each of these regions. The median age of the study population was 29 (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32) years.…”

Description of a “Trans-Saharan” Strain of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 in West Africa

“…6 The phylogenetic analyses of all the cosmopolitan isolates from our patients, together with other previously described isolates from Guinea Bissau and Senegal, 12,26 showed that they belonged to the HTLV-1aD subgroup. In comparison with the North African isolates, the sub-Saharan sequences clustered together, and 2 significant clades (one including all but 1 North African isolate and the other including all the Senegal/Guinean isolates) were observed in the HTLV-1aD subgroup.…”

“…7 HTLV-1 is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in West and Central Africa. In West Africa, the reported rates of seropositivity for anti-HTLV-1 antibodies vary from 1% to more than 5% among blood donors and/or pregnant women in Ghana, 8 Benin, 9 Burkina Faso, 10 Mali, 11 Senegal, 12 Nigeria, 13 and Guinea Bissau. 14 The prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in Guinea Bissau is one of the highest in Africa.…”

Dépistage de la vasculopathie cérébrale drépanocytaire par doppler transcrânien au Mali

“…Devant la problématique transfusionnelle liée à notre contexte, dont les risques à court et à long termes ont été rapportés par plusieurs études [25][26][27], une réflexion doit être conduite visant une prise en charge spécifique de ce dernier groupe permettant d'alléger le programme transfusionnel. Enfin, notons que le seul AVC observé dans notre série met en exergue le rôle du paludisme dans l'aggravation brutale de l'anémie et ses répercussions sur la circulation cérébrale.…”