Abstract
Vertical transmission of HTLV-1 (human T-cell leukemia virus type 1) from HTLV-1 carrier mothers to their newborns has been reported with transmission rates, ranging from 6% to 78%. This study was undertaken to identify the high risk group of vertical transmission by detecting viral antigen in cultured lymphocytes and provirus obtained from carrier mothers. Subjects of this study were 70 HTLV-1 carrier mothers who attended the department of obstetrics and gynecology of hospital located in the Kanto area (ATL non endemic area). HTLV-1 antigen was detected in 40 out of 55 (72.7%) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of carrier mothers. HTLV-1 antigen was detected in 2 out of 40 (5.0%) in cord blood lymphocytes of infants born of carrier mothers. These two infants were born from carrier mothers with positive antigen detection study. It seems that carrier mothers whose peripheral lymphocytes are positive for antigen expression by culture are a high risk group for vertical transmission.
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