Seroprevalence of Human T-lymphotropic Virus Infections among Pregnant Women in Urmia, Northwest Iran

Introduction: The human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-۱/۲ is a retrovirus that can cause adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, tissue-necrotizing lymphadenitis, and tropical spastic paraparesis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HTLV infection in pregnant women receiving care in Urmia, sited in northwest Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on ۸۶ pregnant women in Urmia between May and September ۲۰۱۴. Following interviews and blood sample collection, the participants were screened for IgG antibodies against HTLV-۱/۲ using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: The average age of the participants was ۲۵.۵۶ ± ۵.۳۰ years, with ۳ individuals (۳.۴۹%) reporting a history of blood transfusion and ۱۸ patients (۲۰.۹۳%) having experienced previous abortions. Serological testing did not reveal any evidence of HTLV-۱/۲ infection in the study population. Conclusion: While screening for HTLV-۱/۲ infection in pregnant women holds significance, it appears that during the study period, this issue was not recognized as a major health concern among pregnant women in Urmia. This observation aligns with findings from other research in Iran, where awareness and emphasis on HTLV-۱/۲ screening in pregnant populations remain relatively low.

Keywords:

HTLV , Iran , Pregnant women , Prevalence , Serology , Urmia , کلید واژه : شیوع سرمی , HTLV-۱/۲ , عفونت , ارومیه