HTLV 1/2 Prevalence and risk factors in individuals with HIV/AIDS in Pernambuco, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION

Apart from masking the diagnosis of AIDS in patients with HIV/AIDS, human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV), when present, also increases the risk of myelopathies and neurological disease in these patients.

METHODS

Disease prevalence was estimated by ELISA and confirmed by Western blot.

RESULTS

The coinfection rate was 1.5% (11/720); 10 of 11 patients had HTLV-1, and the remaining one had HTLV-2. The majority were male, over 40 years old, and of pardo color (ethnicity).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no association between the risk factors examined and HTLV/HIV coinfection. This is the first study to report the occurrence of HTLV-2 in Pernambuco.