DERMATOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN 211 HTLV-I POSITIVE, INDETERMINATE AND SERONEGATIVE BLOOD DONORS

Abstract

P107 Dermatological lesions are frequently seen in ATLL. Little is known about skin lesions in HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers. This study aimed to investigate dermatological lesions in 211 blood donors at Fundação Hemominas. They were distributed in 3 groups: HTLV-I/II seropositive (ELISA and WB), n=93; indeterminate (ELISA positive and WB indeterminate), n=97 and seronegative, n=21 patients. The groups were blindly examined by the same dermatologist. The subjects were submitted to skin biopsy, when necessary. As compared to indeterminate individuals, any dermatological lesions were more likely to be found in the seropositive donors (prevalence odds ratio 1.6; 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.1). The seronegative group had normal skin exam, except for 3 cases of tinea pedis. Concerning this lesion, there was no statistical difference among the 3 groups. Icthiosis and vitiligo were only seen in the seropositive group (4 and 2 cases respectively). In the seropositive group, histological analysis (HE) of the skin fragments showed mononuclear infiltrates in 75% of the lesions and in 17% of the normal looking skin of the same patients. Our study shows that dermatological lesions associated with HTLV-I infection are prevalent in our population. We believe they deserve special attention and must be actively sought in prospective studies, in order to find markers of prognostic value.