Seroepidemiology of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I/II in Northeastern Brazil

Article Abstract:

The incidence of infections caused by human lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) may be high in Bahia, a state in Northeastern Brazil. HTLV-I causes leukemia, lymphoma and tropical spastic paraparesis. Human lymphotrophic virus type II (HTLV-II) may cause leukemia. Among 664 individuals in Bahia who were evaluated for antibodies to HTLV, 337 were patients with different types of diseases and 327 were healthy individuals. Eighteen percent of the patients had antibodies to HTLV, compared with 2% of the healthy individuals. The highest incidence of HTLV infection was among AIDS patients, and the second highest was among tuberculosis patients. Of 63 patients with antibodies to HTLV who were typed, 53 were infected with HTLV-I and three were infected with HTLV-II. The difference between HTLV-I and HTLV-II could not be distinguished in seven of the 63 patients.

Diseases, Brazil, HTLV-I infections, HTLV-II infections

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Serologic validation of HIV infection in a tropical area

Article Abstract:

Western blot (WB) analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) may be effective methods for detecting HIV infection in individuals living in tropical regions. ELISA may not be an effective method for testing for HIV infection in some patients suffering from leishmaniasis. ELISA and WB analysis were used to detect HIV infection in 342 patients suffering from tropical diseases such as Chagas' disease, schistosomiasis, typhoid fever, helminthiasis and leishmaniasis. Nine percent of the leishmaniasis patients were HIV-positive using ELISA but HIV-negative using WB analysis. All the other patients were HIV-negative using both ELISA and WB analysis. WB analysis was used to test the blood of 224 high-risk individuals from Brazil with repeated positive results for HIV infection using ELISA. The WB results were similar to those seen in US patients.

Methods, Usage, Testing, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, HIV testing, HIV tests, Tropical medicine, Western immunoblotting, Western blot

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Trypanosoma cruzi meningoencephalitis in HIV-infected patients

Article Abstract:

The protozoan organism Trypanosoma cruzi can cause meningoencephalitis in some HIV patients. This organism causes Chagas' disease. Researchers in Brazil describe five HIV patients who were hospitalized with the symptoms of meningoencephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain and the membranes that surround it. CT scans of the patients' heads revealed masses in the brain, which might be mistaken for toxoplasmosis. However, they had Trypanosoma cruzi in their cerebrospinal fluid, which led to the correct diagnosis.

Diagnosis, Causes of, Complications and side effects, HIV infection, HIV infections, Chagas' disease, Chagas disease, Meningoencephalitis

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