PREVALENCE OF PERSONS ANTIBODY-POSITIVE FOR EITHER ATLA OR HIV AMONG DONORS AND PATIENTS IN GUNMA PREFECTURE

The prevalence of persons antibody-positive for adult T cell leukemia virus-associated antigen (ATLA) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was determined in 1, 815 blood donors and 3, 511 patients (total 5, 326) between April 1986 to February 1988.Among 1, 815 blood donors (healthy persons), 5 (0.28%) were confirmed to be sero-positive for ATLA by indirect immunofluorescence and Western-blot tests. None were positive for HIV.Among 2, 848 serum specimens of patients analyzed in the immunological laboratory of Gunma University Hospital, 26 (0.91%) were antibody-positive for ATLA and 13 (0.46%) for HIV. Twelve of the 13 anti-HIV antibody-positive patients had hemophilia, the other positive patient was a young male AIDS patient (non-Japanese) who had severe interstitial pneumonia.Among 663 patients who visited a venereal disease clinic, 2 (0.30%) were found to be positive for ATLA, but none were positive for HIV.