Laboratory test differences associated with HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection. Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study...

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Virology
• Immunology

Background:

• Inconsistencies exist in reported laboratory abnormalities linked to Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and type II (HTLV-II) infections.
• Understanding these hematological changes is crucial for diagnosing and managing HTLV infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and quantify laboratory abnormalities in HTLV-I and HTLV-II infected individuals.
• To compare hematological and serum chemistry measures between seropositive and seronegative blood donors.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 153 HTLV-I, 386 HTLV-II, and 795 HTLV-seronegative blood donors.
• Complete blood counts and selected serum chemistry measures were assessed.
• Linear and logistic regression analyses adjusted for confounding variables like age, gender, race, education, blood center, and injection drug use.

Main Results:

• HTLV-I and HTLV-II infected donors showed significantly higher absolute lymphocyte counts (6% and 10% increase, respectively).
• Both HTLV-I and HTLV-II seropositive donors had elevated platelet counts (average increase of 17,630 and 15,160, respectively).
• HTLV-I infection was associated with lower eosinophils and higher lactic dehydrogenase, while HTLV-II infection showed decreased creatine kinase, increased mean corpuscular volume, and lower serum calcium.

Conclusions:

• Both HTLV-I and HTLV-II infections are associated with increased lymphocyte and platelet levels through unknown mechanisms.
• Lower eosinophil counts in HTLV-I infection may correlate with increased susceptibility to parasitic diseases.