A seroepidemiological survey of antibodies to the adult T-cell leukemia virus (ATLV or HTLV-I)-associated antigen was conducted by passive particle-agglutination method among 2,087 of healthy adults (721 males and 1,366 females) who lived in the mid-Eastern section of mainland Okinawa and in the three islands of Henza, Miyagi and lkei.
1) The overall prevalence rate was 36.9% with the rate in the three islands being 41.8%. However, no significant difference was found between males and females (36.3% for males and 37.2% for females).
2) Thirty-three married couples in Henza lsland were classified into four combinations to study er the transmission of HTLV-I between husband and wife. The proportion of (+) wife with (+) husband was 75.0%, and that of (-) wife with (-) husband 82.4%.
3) Children (0 to 15 years old) in Henza lsland had a high prevalence rate of 5.2%.
4) The prevalence rate of Okinawans (898 healthy adults) who emigrated from Okinawa to Hawaii was 17.9% for
Issei
, 19.7% for Nisei and 11.9% for Sansei, which were almost the same as those of healthy people of the same age in Okinawa. The transmission of the HTLV-I might occur from generation to generation.
5) Forty-seven patients with chronic renal failure who have been hemodialyzed and blood transfused, showed a higher prevalence rate of 51.1% than that of 55 patients without blood transfusion.
The data suggested that the transmission of HTLV-I might occur:
1) between husband to wife, probably via semen.
2) from mother to child probably via mother's milk.
3) with blood transfusion.
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