Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-1 in a segregated population in Iran

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 88; no. 7; pp. 1247 - 1253
• Main Authors: Rafatpanah, Houshang, Torkamani, Mahmood, Valizadeh, Narges, Vakili, Rosita, Meshkani, Baratali, Khademi, Hassan, Gerayli, Sina, Mozhgani, Sayed Hamid Reza, Rezaee, Seyed Abdolrahim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Epidemiology; Ethnic Groups; Female; HIV Long Terminal Repeat; HTLV-I Infections - ethnology; HTLV-I Infections - immunology; HTLV-I Infections - virology; human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1); human T-cell leukemia virus type 2 (HTLV-2); Human T-lymphotropic virus; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - classification; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - genetics; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 - immunology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Iran; Iran - epidemiology; Lymphocytes - virology; Male; Middle Aged; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Proviruses - immunology; Proviruses - isolation & purification; Risk Factors; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Socioeconomic Factors; Viral infections; Virology; Young Adult; Iran; epidemiology; Iran; human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1); human T-cell leukemia virus type 2 (HTLV-2)
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24448

Human T‐lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV‐1) infection is an important health issue that affects a variety of endemic areas. The Khorasan province, mainly its capital Mashhad in northeastern Iran, was reported to be as one of these endemic regions. Torbat‐e Heydarieh, a large city Southwest border to Mashhad with a segregated population was investigated for the prevalence and associated risk factors of HTLV‐1 infection in 400 randomly selected individuals. Blood samples were tested for the presence of HTLV‐1 antibodies via the ELISA method and then were confirmed by an Immunoblot test. For the presence of HTLV‐1 in lymphocytes of infected subjects, PCR was performed on LTR and TAX regions. DNA sequencing of LTR fragment was also carried out to determine the phylogenetic of HTLV‐1, using the Maximum likelihood method. HTLV‐1 sero‐reactivity (sero‐prevalence) among the study population was 2% (8/400), of which 1.25% had HTLV‐1 provirus in lymphocytes (actual prevalence). HTLV‐1 infection was significantly associated with the age, marital status, and history of blood transfusion (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistical differences between HTLV‐1 infection, and gender, surgery, and hospitalization. In regression analysis, age showed the most significant correlation with the infection (P = 0.006, OR = 4.33). Based on our phylogenetic study, the HTLV‐1 prevalent sequence type of Torbat‐e Heydarieh belongs to the cosmopolitan subtype A. HTLV‐1 prevalence in Torbat‐e Heydarieh (1.25%) is low comparing to those of both Mashhad (2–3%) and Neishabour (3.5–5%) in the province of Khorasan. Thus, traveling mobility and population mixing such as marriage, bureaucratic affairs, occupation, and economic activities could be the usual routs of HTLV‐1 new wave of spreading in this segregated city. J. Med. Virol. 88:1247–1253, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.