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HTLV‐I carriers among migrants from an ATL‐endemic area to ATL non‐endemic metropolitan areas in Japan
Author(s) -
Tajima Kazuo,
Tominaga Suketami,
Suchi Taizan,
Fukui Hisao,
Komoda Haruko,
Hinuma Yorio
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910370309
Subject(s) - metropolitan area , demography , place of birth , mortality rate , infection rate , geography , medicine , environmental health , population , surgery , archaeology , sociology
The prevalence of antibodies against HTLV‐I among Kyushu natives aged 16 to 39 years who moved from Nagasaki and Kagoshima prefectures to Aichi prefecture (a non‐endemic area for ATL) was compared by their cities or counties of birth. The positive rate of anti‐HTLV‐I antibody was 2.4% (II/400) among Nagasaki natives, 6.4% (20/312) among Kagoshima natives and 4.0% (31/772) for both combined. There was a slight difference in the positive rate of anti‐HTLV‐I antibody between Kyushu natives from cities (3.3%) and from counties (4.5%). In county areas, the prevalence of anti‐HTLV‐I antibodies among migrants from areas of relatively higher mortality for malignant lymphomas (7.5%) was significantly higher ( p <0.01) than among persons from lower mortality areas (1.9%). Most “positive” persons had moved from Kyushu to Aichi prefecture between the ages of 15 and 18 years. The results of the present study suggest that: (1) there is a considerable number of HTLV‐I carriers among Kyushu natives who have settled in ATL non‐endemic areas, especially among those born in regions of Kyushu district which have a high mortality rate for malignant lymphomas; and (2) that Kyushu natives who had settled in metropolitan areas might have been exposed to HTLV‐I during childhood in their birthplace.