Human – T Lymphotropic Virus 1 (HTLV-1) Among Blood Donors in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the seroprevalence of Human T- Lymphotropic Virus 1(HTLV-1) among blood donors in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria Three hundred (300) consenting potential blood donors were recruited into the study over a period of three months (May to July, 2013). Each subject was screened for HIV, HBsAg and HCV and a structured questionnaire was administered. A total of 93 (male = 63; female = 30) subjects with mean age of 45±2.3 years previously tested negative for HIV, HBsAg and HCV were screened for HTLV-1 antibodies using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Out of 93 subjects tested, 24 (25.8%) were positive for both anti-HTLV-1 IgM and anti- HTLV-1 IgG. Anti- HTLV-1 IgM was highest among the subjects in the age group 18-24, 13(39.4%), male 13(20.6%), single 14 (31.4%) and student 14 (37.8%) while Anti- HTLV-1 IgG was highest among the subjects in the age group 18-24, 15 (45.5%), female 12(19.1%), single 14 (27.5%) and student 14 (37.8%). These results provide more and further evidence that Human T-Lymphotropic Virus 1 is present among blood donors in Ogbomoso and is also one of the transfusion transmissible viral infections