PMID- 11721972
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20020925
LR  - 20191025
IS  - 0925-5710 (Print)
IS  - 0925-5710 (Linking)
VI  - 74
IP  - 3
DP  - 2001 Oct
TI  - Seroprevalence and demographic characteristics of HTLV-I among blood donors in 
      Taiwan: 1996-1999.
PG  - 333-7
AB  - Screening for the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and-II in blood 
      donors was implemented in Taiwan beginning in February 1996. The purpose of the 
      present study was to investigate the changes in HTLV-I seroprevalence in all 
      unpaid blood donors in Taiwan during the period from February 1996 to December 
      1999 and to determine the influence of age and sex on the HTLV-I seropositivity 
      of donors. HTLV-I and HTLV-II screening was performed using combined HTLV-I/II 
      immunoassay. Repeated reactive samples were confirmed by Western blot analysis. 
      Of a total of 3,701,087 donors in all 6 blood centers in Taiwan, 2,311 (0.058%) 
      were seropositive for HTLV-I. The HTLV-I seropositivity was 0.130%, 0.063%, 
      0.044%, and 0.032% in the years 1996, 1997,1998, and 1999, respectively. There 
      was a linear increase of HTLV-I seropositivity with advancing age. The HTLV-I 
      carrier rate for female donors was twice that for the male donors. Ninty-seven 
      percent of HTLV-I seropositive results came from first-time donors. Our findings 
      suggest that Taiwan is a low-prevalence nonendemic area for HTLV-I infection. The 
      large-scale HTLV-I screening program has decreased HTLV-I seropositivity among 
      blood donors and is useful for preventing HTLV-I transmission via blood 
      transfusion.
FAU - Lu, S C
AU  - Lu SC
AD  - Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical 
      University, Taiwan.
FAU - Kao, C L
AU  - Kao CL
FAU - Chin, L T
AU  - Chin LT
FAU - Chen, J W
AU  - Chen JW
FAU - Yang, C M
AU  - Yang CM
FAU - Chang, J H
AU  - Chang JH
FAU - Hsu, S C
AU  - Hsu SC
FAU - Chang, A C
AU  - Chang AC
FAU - Chen, B H
AU  - Chen BH
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - Japan
TA  - Int J Hematol
JT  - International journal of hematology
JID - 9111627
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Age Factors
MH  - Aged
MH  - *Blood Donors
MH  - Female
MH  - HTLV-I Infections/diagnosis/*epidemiology/transmission
MH  - HTLV-II Infections/diagnosis/epidemiology/transmission
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Seroepidemiologic Studies
MH  - Sex Factors
MH  - Taiwan/epidemiology
MH  - Topography, Medical
EDAT- 2001/11/28 10:00
MHDA- 2002/09/26 06:00
CRDT- 2001/11/28 10:00
PHST- 2001/11/28 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2002/09/26 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2001/11/28 10:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1007/BF02982070 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Int J Hematol. 2001 Oct;74(3):333-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02982070.