Brazil may have 3 million carriers of African lineage of HTLV-1

Fiocruz researchers in Brazil have identified the virus HTLV-1, lineage restricted to the countries of Central Africa. No specific treatment for diseases associated with human cell lymphotropic virus type 1 viral disease that can be transmitted sexually or from mother to child by blood.

It is estimated that, worldwide, between 15 and 20 million people are carriers - is estimated that up to 3 million of these are in Brazil. The warning was made by new study published in the Journal of Virology. The virus was found in Rio de Janeiro by the staff of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Microorganisms IOC, led by researcher Ana Carolina Paulo Vicente, in partnership with Sergio Franco Laboratory Diagnostic Medicine.

The study also revealed for the first time, the complete genome of this strain. The fact that we identified a strain of Central Africa shows that the spread of the virus is in progress and globally, explains Ana Carolina. Brazil has reason to worry. Further according to the expert, since 1992 it is estimated that the country having the largest absolute number of infected world.

Although only 5% of patients developing diseases, there is no specific treatment for these injuries - unlike what occurs with HIV-1, which is also a retrovirus. Among the more severe clinical status, are T-cell leukemia and myelopathy associated with HTLV-1, also known as tropical spastic paraparesis.

According to Ana Carolina, most patients usually discover the infection when donating blood because since 1990 it is mandatory to carry out serological screening for HTLV in volunteers. However, the expert argues that the surveillance of the virus has yet to be perfected. The scientific community has been fighting for the test to be incorporated into the protocol of care to pregnant women, as a major form of transmission is from mother to child, and especially through breastfeeding, which could be easily controlled, warns the researcher.

<i> Information Agency Fiocruz <i>

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