Retrospective study of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus type 1/2, HIV and HBV prevalences in pregnant women in Argentina.

Journal of Medical Virology

Wiley Online Library

Año: 2007

his study shows first data on HTLV-1/2 seroprevalence among pregnant women in the non-endemic region of Argentina. In a retrospective study a representative sample (n = 3,143) of the pregnant women registered in the health public service in the province of Córdoba was evaluated. HTLV-1/2 seroprevalence was 0.191% +/- 0.0857 [IC 0.022-0.359]. This prevalence was 10 times higher in pregnant women than in blood donors [0.019 (4/21.183)]. The pregnant women would reflect the epidemiology of the general population more accurately since it constitutes a more heterogeneous group than that of blood donors. The prevalence of infection with HIV was 2.8 times higher than that of HTLV-1/2 (P < 0.05) and the presence of any of these two viruses was not a subrogating indicator of the presence of the other (Goodman and Kruskal´s Tau coefficient = 0.0092). The prevalence of HBV was not significantly different from that of HTLV-1/2 (P > 0.05). We consider that it is necessary to carry out continuous s