AEGiS-11IAC: Human retrovirus in a Brazilian city with a population predominantly of African origin: evidences for high prevalence of HTLV and HIV-1 among injection drug users (IDU)

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Human retrovirus in a Brazilian city with a population predominantly of African origin: evidences for high prevalence of HTLV and HIV-1 among injection drug users (IDU)

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:459 (abstract no. Pub.C.1132)
Dourado I, Andrade T, Montes JC, Azevedo C, Gallo D, Galvao-Castro B; Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. Fax: 071-237-5856. E-mail: maines@ufba.br.

OBJECTIVE: To study the seroprevalence of HTLV and HIV among IDU in Northern Brazil.

METHODS: This study is part of an ongoing Multicenter Project on seroprevalence of HIV among IDU in Brazil (Projeto Brazil). The study group was identified from among individuals who reside in or frequent the Historical District of Salvador, Bahia, using the snowball technique. After obtaining informed consent, 175 IDU were interviewed about drug use and sexual behavior from August, 1994, until September 30, 1995. Sera was screened using ELISA tests (HIV-1 Abbott, HTLV-I/II Cambridge Biotech, USA) and confirmed with W. blot (HIV-1 and HTLV-I/II Cambridge Biotech, USA). HTLV positive samples were discriminated into types I and II by indirect imunofluorescence assay.

RESULTS: The prevalence of HTLV-I/II and HIV were 24,3% (33/106) and 55% (89/162) respectively. The prevalence of co-infection between HTLV-I/II and HIV was 20%. We found 90% infection for HTLV-I and 10% for HTLV-II. It was observed that HTLV-I/II infection increased with age. However, there was no age variation for HIV infection. Women were at higher risk of HTLV infection than men. Education and income were not associated with HTLV infection. We observed that the starting age of drug use, sharing of needles and/or syringes, and HIV seropositivity are risk factors for HTLV-I/II infection.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data show a prevalence of HTLV-I higher than the prevalence of HTLV-II among IDU in the city of Salvador. This finding differs from that observed in the US and Europe. This fact probably reflects the high endemicity of HTLV-1 in this area of Brazil.Ines Dourado, ISC/UFBA. Rua Padre Feijhigher than the prevalence of HTLV-II among IDU in the city of Salvador. This finding differs from that observed in the US and Europe. This fact probably reflects the high endemicity of HTLV-1 in this area of Brazil.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV-1, Human T-lymphotropic virus 2, Prevalence, Human T-lymphotropic virus 1, HIV Infections, Deltaretrovirus Infections, HIV Seropositivity, HIV, HIV Antibodies, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Syringes, Cities, Idoxuridine, Europe, Brazil, United States, Human, Female, Male, ICA11

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