P-43 Replication of hepatitis C virus in cloned human T cell lymphotropic virus type-I infected cell line (MT-2)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) share routes of transmission and some individuals have dual infection. Although some studies point to a worse prognosis of hepatitis C virus in patients co-infected with HTLV-1, the interaction between these two infections is poorly understood. This study evaluated the influence of HTLV-1 infection on laboratory parameters in chronic HCV patients. Twelve HTLV-1/HCV-coinfected patients were compared to 23 patients infected only with HCV, in regard to demographic data, risk factors for viral acquisition, HCV genotype, presence of cirrhosis, T CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts and liver function tests. There was no difference in regard to age, gender, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, HCV genotype or presence of cirrhosis between the groups. Intravenous drug use was the most common risk factor among individuals co-infected with HTLV-1. These patients showed higher TCD8+ counts (p = 0.0159) and significantly lower median values of AST and ALT (p = 0.0437 and 0.0159, respectively). In conclusion, we have shown that HCV/HTLV-1 co-infected patients differs in laboratorial parameters involving both liver and immunological patterns. The meaning of these interactions in the natural history of these infections is a matter that deserves further studies.

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Transfusion-transmitted human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I infection in Taiwan: a true risk and occasional coinfection with hepatitis C virus shown in a prospective study

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v84.3.934.bloodjournal843934 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 84 (3) ◽

pp. 934-940

Author(s):

JT Wang ◽

MT Lin ◽

PJ Chen ◽

JC Sheu ◽

JT Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

T Cell ◽

Blood Transfusion ◽

Prospective Study ◽

Family Members ◽

Type I ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Human T Cell ◽

A Prospective Study

To study the incidence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) after blood transfusion in Taiwan, serum samples from 699 patients in a prospective study were examined for seroreactivity of anti-HTLV. By an enzyme immunoassay, 9 of the 699 recipients were repeatedly positive. Serial serum samples of these 9 patients were then confirmed with a Western blot analysis and with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for HTLV-I genome. Four were already positive for anti-HTLV before transfusion, 1 carried antibodies to HTLV-I transiently after transfusion, and only 4 cases had de nova seroconversions. These patients and their family members were called back and tested for HTLV- I genome in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and plasma. All the serologically positive patients, except the “transient one,” were positive for HTLV sequences in the PBMCs. Viral sequences could also be detected in several serum or plasma samples. In the family members, only the spouse of a pretransfusion-positive patient was infected. These results suggested that approximately 0.6% of the blood recipients were infected by HTLV-I through transfusion in Taiwan, and that the frequency of intrafamilial HTLV-I transmission is low. We also observed the unusual coinfection by both HTLV-I and hepatitis C virus in 2 patients, and superinfection of hepatitis C virus after blood transfusion in 1 HTLV-I carrier. Cases of coinfection suggest a prevalence of both viruses in blood donors and warrant further screening.

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