A seroepidemiologic survey of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I in two Hawaiian hematologic-oncologic practices

A seroepidemiologic survey for antibodies to the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) was carried out in two Hawaiian hematologic-oncologic practices. Specimens of serum or plasma from 215 donors were assayed using the ELISA technique, followed by the Western blot technique to confirm antibody specificity to HTLV-I. Of 214 seropositive donors, 16 (7.5%) were positive. Of 172 donors of Japanese ancestry, 16 (9.3%) were seropositive; none were white, Chinese, Filipino, or Pacific Islander. One donor contracted the virus through blood transfusions. The results suggest that HTLV-I was introduced to Hawaii with the Japanese immigration.