Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Human T cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV-I/II) in South America: Should it be a public health concern?

  • Review
  • Published:
Journal of Biomedical Science

Abstract

The presence of the human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I/II) in South America is well established. Its origin and spectrum in the continent still remain a matter of debate. There are signs now that HTLV-I/II was already present in the Amerindian population coming originally from Asia and that HTLV-I was also introduced with African slave trade and with immigration of individuals from endemic areas of Japan. South America has approximately 350 million inhabitants in its 13 countries. The presence of HTLV-I/II has been reported with impressive numbers in most of them and may be considered endemic in this continent. The distribution of HTLV I/II among native Amerindian populations has shown a geographic clustering of type I in the Andean highlands and Brazilian coast, while type II predominates in lowlands of South America. Although comparability between studies conducted among blood donors in different countries may be difficult, the data indicate that the viruses are also circulating among otherwise healthy individuals. Undoubtedly, HTLV-I/II infection and its related diseases should be considered a public health concern in South America and measures to prevent its spread should be emphasized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andrade CA, Lima-Martins MVC, Costa JO, Ribeiro DA, Andrade AMC, Gonçalves RC, Santos JC, Soares ES, Carneiro-Proietti ABF. Soroprevalência do HIV-1/2, HTLV-I/II e hepatites B e C em parturientes da Maternidade Odete Valadares, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Rev Bras Patol Trop 28:41–48;1999.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Andrade-Filho AS, Brites C, et al. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I and type II as a common etiology of myelopathies in Bahia, Brazil. Braz J Med Biol Res 29:757–761;1996.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Andrade-Serpa MJ, Toswill J, Schor D, Linhares D, Dobbin J, Pereira MS. Seroepidemiologic survey for antibodies to human retroviruses in human and non-human primates in Brazil. Int J Cancer 44:389–393;1989.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Araújo AQC, Leite ACCB, Dutra S, et al. Progression or neurological disability in HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). J Neurol Sci 129:147–151;1995.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Biglione M, Vidan O, Mahiieux R, et al. Seroepidemiological and molecular studies of human T cell lymphotropic virus type II, subtype b, in isolated groups of Mataco and Toba Indians of northern Argentina. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 15:407–417;1999.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bittencourt Al. Vertical transmission of HTLV-I/II: A review. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 40:245–251;1998.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bouzas MB, Picchio G, Muchinik G, et al. HTLV-I in Argentina. J. Acquir Imune Defic Syndr 3:741–742;1990.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bouzas MB, Muchinik G, Zapiola I, et al. HTLV-I/II in Argentina. IV Conference on Retrovirology HTLV (abstract THP5). Montego Bay, Jamaica, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bouzas MB, Zapiola I, Quirvelas S, et al. HTLV type I and II infection among Indians and natives from Argentina. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 10:1567–1571;1994.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Brites C, Harrington W Jr, Pedroso C, Martins Netto E, Badaro R. Epidemiological characteristics of HTLV-I and II co-infection in Brazilian subjects infected by HIV-I. Braz J Infect Dis 1:42–47;1997.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Carneiro-Proietti ABF, Lima-Martins MVC, et al. Presence of human immunodeficiency virus (human immunodeficiency virus) and T-lymphotropic virus type I and type II (HTLV I/II) in a hemophiliac population in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and correlation with additional serological results. Haemophilia 4:47–50;1998.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Cartier L, Tajima K, Araya F, et al. Preliminary study of HTLV-I seroprevalence in Chilean Indian population. Rev Med Chil 121:241–246;1993.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Cartier L, Prina L. Primary polymyositis associated to HTLV-I. Rev Med Chil 124:461–464;1996.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Castro-Costa CM, Salgueiro MR, Carton H, Vale OC, Arruda AM. Tropical spastic paraparesis in northeastern Brazil. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 47:134–138;1989.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Castro-Costa CM, Carton H, Goubau P, de Figueiredo EG, Giffoni SD. Tropical spastic paraparesis in the tropics and Brazil. A historical analysis. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 52:106–109;1994.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Castro-Costa CM. A preliminary analysis of an experimental long-term study of motor behavior and clinical aspects of Wistar rats inoculated with blood from HTLV-I positive TSP patients from Ceará (northeastern Brazil). In: Zaninovic V ed.: TLV, Truths and Questions. Cali, Fundación MAR, 89–95;1996.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Cavalcanti M, Ferreira-Júnio O, Puccioni M, et al. HTLV-I associated neurologic manifestation in four generations of a Brazilian family. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 6:213–217;1993.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Cevallos R, Geffray L, Guillevin L, et al. Primitive Sjögren's syndrome in France and Ecuador. Possible involvement of HTLV-I. Bull Soc Pathol Exot 86:439–441;1993.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Cortes E, Detels R, Aboufalia D, et al. HIV-1, HIV-2 and HTLV-I infection in high risk groups in Brazil. N Engl J Med 320:953–958;1989.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Costa CMC, Vale OC, Goubau P, Desmyter J, Carton H. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I and tropical spastic paraparesis in Fortaleza (northeastern Brazil). J Trop Geogr Neurol 1:45;1991.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dipierri JE, Tajima K, Cartier Robirosa L, Sonoda S. A seroepidemiological survey of HTLV-I/II carriers in the Puna Jujena. Medicina (B Aires) 59:712–720;1999.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Dourado I, Andrade T, Montes JC, Azevedo C, Gallo D, Galvão-Castro B. Human retrovirus in a Brasilian city with a population predominantly of African origin: Evidences for high prevalence of human T-cell Leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I and human Immunodeficiency virus type I among intravenous drug users (IDU). Estudo multicêntrico — Projeto Brasil, 1997.

  23. Duenas-Bajaras E, Bernal JE, Vaught DR, et al. Human retro viruses in Amerindians of Colombia: High prevalence of human T cell lymphotropic virus type II among the Tunebo Indians. Am J Tropl Med Hyg 49:657–663;1993.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Etzel A, Shibata GY, Rozman M, Jorge ML, Damas CD, Segurado AA. HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections in HIV-1 infected individuals from Santos, Brazil: Seroprevalence and risk factors. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 26:185–190;2001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Farias-de-Carvalho SM, Pombo-de-Oliveira MS, Thuler LC, Rios M, Coelho EM, Catovsky D, et al. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I infections in hematologic disorder patients, cancer patients, and healthy individuals from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 15:238–242;1997.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ferreira Oc, Vaz RS, Carvalho MB, Guerra C, Fabron AL, Hamerschlak N, et al. Human T-lymphotropic virus type I and type II infections and correlation with risk factors in blood donors from São Paulo, Brasil. Transfusion 35:258–263;1995.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Ferrer JF, Pinodel N, Esteban E, et al. High rate of infection with the human T-leukaemia retrovirus type II in four Indian populations of Argentina. Virology 197:576–584;1993.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Fujiyoshi T, Li HC, Lou H, Yashiki S, et al. Characteristic distribution of HTLV-I and HTLV-II carriers among native ethnic groups in South America. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 15:1235–1239;1999.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Galvão-Castro B, Distribution of human T-lymphotropic virus type I among blood-donors: A nationwide Brasilian study. Transfusion 37:242–243;1997.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Gasbbai AA, Bordin JO, Vieira-Filho JBP, Kuroda A, et al. Selectivity of human T-lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I) and HTLV-II infection among different populations in Brazil. Am J Trop Med Hyg 49:664–671;1993.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Gomes I, Melo A, Proietti FA, et al. Human T lymphotropic virus tipe I (HTLV-I) infection in neurological patients in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. J Neurol Sci 165:84–89;1999.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Gotuzzo E, Sánchez J, Escamilla J, et al. Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I infection among female sex workers in Peru. J Infect Dis 169:54–59;1994.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Guimarães ML, Bastos Fi, Telles PR, et al. Retrovirus infections in a sample of injecting drug users in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil: Prevalence of HIV-1 subtypes and co-infection with HTLV-I/II. J Clin Virol 21:143–151;2001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Inostroza J, Diaz P, Saunier C. Prevalence of antibodies to HTLV-I in South American Indians (Mepuches) from Chile. Scand J Infect Dis 23:507–508;1991.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Ishak R, Harrington WJ, Azevedo VN, Eiraku N, et al. Identification of human T cell lymphotropic virus type IIa infection in the Kayapo, an indigenous population of Brazil. AIDS Res Human Retroviruses 11:813–821;1995.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ishak R, Vallinoto AC, Azevedo VN, Lewis M, et al. Molecular evidence of mother-to-child transmission of HTLV-IIc in the Kararao Village (Kayapo) in the Amazon Region of Brazil. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 34:519–525;2001.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Kajiyama W, Kashiwagi S, Ikematsu H, et al. Intrafamilial transmission of adult T-cell leukemia virus. J Infect Dis 154:851–857;1986.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Kitagawa T, Fujishita M, Taguchi I, et al. Antibodies to HTLV-I in Japanese immigrants to Brazil. JAMA 256:2342;1986.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Lal RB, Povoa M, Lal AA. Seroprevalence of human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type II in Pragaminos, States of Para, Brazil. J AIDS 5:634–635;1992.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Leon-Ponte M, Echeverria de Perez G, Bianco N, et al. Endemic infection with HTLV-IIB in Venezuelan Indians: Molecular characterization. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 5:458–464;1998.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Leon-Ponte M, Noya O, Bianco N, et al. Highly endemic human T lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) infection in a Venezuelan Guahibo Amerindian group. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 3:281–286;1996.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Lessa I, Moraes D, Moura L, Melo A. HTLV-I and myelopathy in Salvador (Northeastern Brazil). Arq Neuropsiquiatr 51:447–451;1993.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Lorenzetti LS, Menna-Barreto M, Schoeler M, Chichoski L, Antonini E, Staub H. High prevalence of human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I infection among patients with rheumatoid arthritis living in Porto Alegre, Brazil. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 20:P097;1999.

  44. Maloney EM, Biggar RJ, Neel JV, Taylor ME, Hahn BH, Shaw GM, Blattner WM. Endemic Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II infection among isolated Brazilian Ameridians. J Infect Dis 166:100–107;1992.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Maloney EM, Ramirez HC, Levin A, Blattner WA. A survey of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in southern Colombia. Int J Cancer 44:419–423;1989.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Martins-Castro LH, Chaves CJ, Callegaro D, et al. HTLV-I associated myelopathy in Brazil; a preliminary report. Arq Neuropsiqiatr 47:501–502;1989.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Medeot S, Nates S, Recalde A, et al. Prevalence of antibody to human T cell lymphotropic virus types 1/2 among aboriginal groups inhabiting northern Argentina and the Amazon region of Peru. Am J Trop Med Hyg 60:623–629;1999.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Meireles A, Moreira ED Jr, Moreno-Carvalho AO, Badaró R, Melo A. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I associated myelopathy in Salvador (northeastern Brazil). Arq Neuropsiquiatr 50:189–190;1992.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Menna-Barreto M, Doval A, Rabolini G, Bianchini O. HTLV-I associated myelopathy in Porto Alegre (southern Brazil). Arq Neuropsiquiatr 53:771–776;1995.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Merino F, Robert-Guroff M, Clark J, et al. Natural antibodies to human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus in healthy Venezuelan population. Int J Cancer 40:260–270;1984.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Miura T, Yamashita M, Zaninovic V, et al. Molecular phylogeny of human T-cell leukemia virus type I and II of Amerindians in Colombia and Chile. J Mol Evol 44(suppl 1):S76-S82;1997.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Moreira ED, Ribeiro TT, Swanson P, Filho CS, Melo A, Brites C, Badaró R, Toedter G, Lee H, Harrington Jr. W. Seroepidemiology of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I/II in Northeastern Brazil. J Acquir Immun Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 6:959–963;1993.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Mori N, Gill OS, Mougdil T, Murakami S, Eto S, Prager D. Interleukin gene expression in adult T cell leukemia. Blood 88:1035–1045;1996.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Muchinik G, Bouzas MB, Zapiola I. HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection in Uruguay. J Acquir Immun Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 5:743–747;1992.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Murphy EL, Blattner WA. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I associated leukemia: A model for chronic retroviral diseases. Ann Neurology 23 (suppl):S174-S180;1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Murphy EL, Glynn AS, Fridey J, et al. Increased incidence of infectious diseases during prospective follow-up of human T-lymphotropic virus type II and I-infected blood donors. Arch Intern Med 159:1485–1491;1999.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Nakauchi CM, Linhares AC, Maruyama K, et al. Prevalence of human T-cell leukemia virus (human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus) antibody among populations living in the Amazon region of Brazil (preliminary report). Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 85:29–33;1990.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Nakauchi CM, Muruyama K, Kanzaki LI, et al. Prevalence of HTLV-I antibody among two distinct ethnic groups inhabiting the Amazon region of Brazil. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 34:323–328;1992.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Nogueira CM, Cavalcanti M, Schechter M, Ferreira OC Jr. Human T lymphotropic virus type I and II infections in healthy blood donors from Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Vox Sang 70:47–48;1996.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Novoa P, Granato GFH, Baruzzi RG, Hall WW. Evidence for and the rate of mother-to-child transmission of human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type II among Kaiapo Indians, Brazil. Eighth International Conference on Human retrovirology: HTLV, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1997.

  61. Oliveira MSP, Hamerschlak N, Chiattone C, Loureiro P. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I infection and adult T-cell leukemia in Brazil: An overview. São Paulo Med J 114:1177–1185;1996.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Pancake BA, Zucker FD, Marmor M, et al. Determination of true prevalence of infection with the human T-cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV-I/II) may require a combination of biomolecular and serological analyses. Proc Assoc Am Physicians 108:444–448;1996.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Pino N, Peralta LM, Pampuro S, et al. HTLV-I/II seroprevalence and co-infection with other pathogens in blood donors in Buenos Aires. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol 7:206–207;1994.

    Google Scholar 

  64. Pombo-de-Oliveira MS. An update of human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I and type II infections studies in Brazil. In: Eighth International Conference on Human Retrovirology: HTLV, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1997.

  65. Pombo-de-Oliveira MS, Matutes E, Fanadas LC, Schultz TF, Calabro ML, Nucci M, et al. Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma in Brazil and its relation to HTLV-I. Lancet 336:987;1990.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Pombo-de-Oliveira MS, Matutes E, Schultz T, et al. T-cell malignancies in Brazil. Clinic-pathological and molecular studies of HTLV-I positive and negative cases. Int J Cancer 60:82–87;1995.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Proietti FA, Lima-Martins MVC, Passos VMA, Brener S, Carneiro-Proietti ABF. Human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I and type II seropositivity among eligible blood donors from Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Vox Sang 67:77;1994.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Proietti F, Caiaffa W, Carneiro-Proietti AB, et al. Seroprevalence correlates of HTLV-I/II among injecting drug users attending Brazilian syringe exchange programs (SEPs) — the AjUDE — Brazil Project. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 17:540;2001.

    Google Scholar 

  69. Saraiva JCP, Saraiva ASL, Couroucé FCAM. Detecção de anticorpos anti-HTLV-I em doadores de sangue no Belém do Pará. XII Congresso Nacional do Colégio Brasileiro de Hematologia, Fortaleza, 1989.

  70. Sarim SG, Fang C, Williams A. Retroviral infections transmitted by blood transfusion. Yale J Biol Med 82:1100–1106;1990.

    Google Scholar 

  71. Segurado AAC, Sumita LM, Rozmann M, et al. HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections in inmates of São Paulo State Prison, São Paulo, Brazil. Abstract J AIDS 10:263;1995.

    Google Scholar 

  72. Slattery JP, Franchini G, Gessain A. Genomic evolution, patterns of global dissemination, and interspecies transmission of human and simian T-cell leukemia/lymphotropic viruses. Genome Res 9:525–540;1999.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Sonoda S, Li HC, Cartier L, Nunez L, Tajima K. Ancient HTLV type 1 provirus DNA of Andean mummy. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 16:1753–1756;2000.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Tajima K, Tominaga S, Suchi T, et al. Epidemiological analysis of the distribution of antibody to adult T-cells leukemia virus-associated antigen: Possible horizontal transmission of adult T-cell leukemia virus. Jap J Cancer Res 73:893–901;1982.

    Google Scholar 

  75. Tallarmin A, Vion B, Ureta-Vidal A, Du Fou G, Marty C, Kazanji M. First seroepidemiological study and phylogenetic characterization of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I and II infection among Amerindians in French Guyana. J Gen Virol 80:3083–3088;1999.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Trujillo L, Munoz D, Gotuzzo E, Yi A, Watts DM. Sexual practices and prevalence of HIV, HTLV-I/II andTreponema pallidum among clandestine female sex workers in Lima, Peru. Sex Transm Dis 26:115–118;1999.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Vasquez P, Sanchez G, Volante C, et al. Human T-lymphotropic virus type I new risk for Chilean population. Blood 78:850;1991.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Wendel NS, Luzzi JR, Russo C, Fontal RC. Avaliação inicial dos teste anti-HTLV-I na rotina sorológica de banco de sangue. Rev Soc Bras Hemat Hemot 12:34;1990.

    Google Scholar 

  79. Zaninovic V, Sanzon F, Lopes F, et al. Geographic independence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II foci in the Andes Highland, the Atlantic Coast, and the Orinoco of Colombia. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 10:97–101;1994.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Zoulek G, Schatzl H, Kawabata M, et al. A seroprevalence survey of antibodies to HTLV-I/II in selected population groups in Paraguay. Scand J Infect Dis 24:397–398;1992.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Zucker FD, Pancake BA, Marmor M, Legler PM. Reexamination of human T cell lymphotropic virus type I and type II (HTLV-I/II) prevalence. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:6403–6407;1997.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mihas Gerais State Blood Center (Fundação Hemominas), School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Anna Bárbara F. Carneiro-Proietti & Bernadette Catalan-Soares

  2. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Fernando Augusto Proietti

  3. Fundação Hemominas Belo Horizonte Rua Domingos Vieira, 219 2° andar, 30.150-240, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Anna Bárbara F. Carneiro-Proietti

Authors
  1. Anna Bárbara F. Carneiro-Proietti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bernadette Catalan-Soares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fernando Augusto Proietti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

GIPH (Interdisciplinary HTLV-I/II Research Group)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carneiro-Proietti, A.B.F., Catalan-Soares, B., Proietti, F.A. et al. Human T cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV-I/II) in South America: Should it be a public health concern?. J Biomed Sci 9, 587–595 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02254986

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02254986

Key Words

Search

Navigation