Open AccessDetection of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) tax Sequences in New York City Blood Donors Seronegative for HTLV Types 1 and 2
Author(s) -
Charlene S. Dezzutti,
Patricia C. Guenthner,
Sylvester Daniel,
Ursula Utz,
Thania Cabrera,
James Marshall,
Celso Bianco,
Renu B. Lal,
Elliot P. Cowan
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
clinical and vaccine immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.649
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1556-6811
pISSN - 1556-679X
DOI - 10.1128/cdli.10.4.715-717.2003
Subject(s) - virology , deltaretrovirus , human t lymphotropic virus , virus , antibody , human t lymphotropic virus 1 , immunology , biology , medicine , viral disease , neuroscience , myelopathy , spinal cord , t cell leukemia
A potential public health concern is the reported detection of the human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) tax gene in the lymphocytes of up to 11% of a low-risk group of New York City blood donors (NYBD). This study aimed to independently confirm the prevalence of HTLV tax sequences in 293 NYBD. All NYBD tested negative for antibodies to HTLV types 1 and 2 and HTLV Tax. HTLV tax sequences were not detected in the NYBD lymphocytes. These data demonstrate the lack of HTLV-1 tax in this group of NYBD at low risk for HTLV infection.