Serological Evidence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II Coinfections in HIV-1 Positive Patients in Belém, State of Pará, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: VALLINOTO, Antonio Carlos Rosário
• Data de Publicação: 1998
• Outros Autores: AZEVEDO, Vânia Nakauth, SANTOS, Domingos Ezenildo Matos dos, MARTINS, Sandra Suely Caniceiro, MESQUITA, Francisco Carlos Lopes de, HALL, William W., ISHAK, Marluísa de Oliveira Guimarães, ISHAK, Ricardo
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFPA
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.ufpa.br/jspui/handle/2011/3629
• topic: Retroviridae; HIV-1; Vírus 2 linfotrópico T humano; Vírus linfotrópico de células T humanas tipo 1; Belém - PA; Pará - Estado; Amazônia brasileira

The occurrence of HTLV-I/II and HIV-1 coinfections have been shown to be frequent, probably in consequence of their similar modes of transmission. This paper presents the prevalence of coinfection of HTLV among HIV-1 infected and AIDS patients in Belém, State of Pará, Brazil. A group of 149 patients attending the AIDS Reference Unit of the State Department of Health was tested for the presence of antibodies to HTLV-I/II using an enzyme immunoassay and the positive reactions were confirmed with a Western blot that discriminates between HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections. Four patients (2.7%) were positive to HTLV-I, seven (4.7%) to HTLV-II and one (0.7%) showed an indeterminate pattern of reaction. The present results show for the first time in Belém not only the occurrence of HTLV-II/HIV-1 coinfections but also a higher prevalence of HTLV-II in relation to HTLV-I. Furthermore, it also enlarges the geographical limits of the endemic area for HTLV-II in the Amazon region of Brazil.