Prevalence of HTLV III/LAV and other viral antibodies in normal and at risk populations

The prevalence of HTLV III/LAV antibody has been studied in six groups of population: healthy subjects, a virological laboratory staff, prisoners, drug addicts, patients with lymphoadenopathy-associated syndrome (LAS) and patients with AIDS. Prevalences and levels in the same groups of HBsAg and CMV, HSV 1 and HSV 2 antibodies have been studied, too. As expected, the prevalence of HTLV III/LAV antibody increases in the six groups with the increasing of the risk while the prevalences of the other markers of viral infection do not show such a pattern. The levels of positivity of CMV antibody are significantly higher in the prisoners and LAS groups versus healthy subjects suggesting a possible role of this virus in the developing of full-blown AIDS.