HTLV-I/HTLV-II coinfection in an AIDS patient from São Paulo, Brazil

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2000 May 20;16(8):715-9. doi: 10.1089/088922200308710.

Abstract

A serological survey for HTLV infection identified an AIDS patient with HTLV-I/HTLV-II dual seroreactivity. Two further sequential blood samples were collected (samples A and B) for PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and sequence analyses of HTLV-I and HTLV-II strains. PCR analyses confirmed dual infection in both samples. Restriction digests of the env region amplified from sample A showed the presence of an HTLV-IIa subtype; the HTLV-II provirus was found to be defective in the pol and env regions in the second sample from this patient. RFLP analysis of the HTLV-II LTR region of both samples confirmed this finding and identified an a5/bzl restriction type. Nucleotide sequence analyses revealed full homology in the HTLV-I env and LTR regions and in the HTLV-II LTR region between the two samples. These findings document the first case of an HTLV-I/HTLV-II coinfection that was fully confirmed and characterized by means of molecular analyses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications*
  • Adult
  • Brazil
  • HTLV-I Infections / complications*
  • HTLV-I Infections / virology
  • HTLV-II Infections / complications*
  • HTLV-II Infections / virology
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / genetics
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / isolation & purification
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / genetics
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA