BACKGROUND: Seroprevalence of antibody to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is high in the island of Kyushu, Japan. Reports on the etiological analysis of HTLV-I in patients with uveitis primarily document cases in this island. We studied the seroprevalence of HTLV-I at the Department of Ophthalmology in Yokohama City University Hospital and in Odawara Municipal Hospital, which are in the Kanto Plain on the island of Honshu, Japan. METHODS: The subjects were 741 patients who visited the two hospitals. The presence of serum antibodies against HTLV-I was assessed using the method of particle agglutination. RESULTS: Of 454 patients with nonuveitic ocular diseases, 9 (1.98%) were seropositive. Of 143 patients with definite diagnosis of uveitis, 1 (0.70%) was seropositive. Of 144 patients with non-specific uveitis (etiology undefined), 8 (5.56%) were seropositive. Thus, the prevalence of serum antibodies to HTLV-I was higher in patients with non-specific uveitis than in patients with specific uveitis or nonuveitic ocular diseases. Common ocular symptoms of 8 HTLV-I-infected patients with non-specific uveitis were compatible with the clinical features of uveitis described as HTLV-I-associated uveitis (HAU). CONCLUSION: It is important to suspect HAU in patients with uveitis of unknown etiology, even outside known areas of prevalence.
BACKGROUND: Seroprevalence of antibody to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is high in the island of Kyushu, Japan. Reports on the etiological analysis of HTLV-I in patients with uveitis primarily document cases in this island. We studied the seroprevalence of HTLV-I at the Department of Ophthalmology in Yokohama City University Hospital and in Odawara Municipal Hospital, which are in the Kanto Plain on the island of Honshu, Japan. METHODS: The subjects were 741 patients who visited the two hospitals. The presence of serum antibodies against HTLV-I was assessed using the method of particle agglutination. RESULTS: Of 454 patients with nonuveitic ocular diseases, 9 (1.98%) were seropositive. Of 143 patients with definite diagnosis of uveitis, 1 (0.70%) was seropositive. Of 144 patients with non-specific uveitis (etiology undefined), 8 (5.56%) were seropositive. Thus, the prevalence of serum antibodies to HTLV-I was higher in patients with non-specific uveitis than in patients with specific uveitis or nonuveitic ocular diseases. Common ocular symptoms of 8 HTLV-I-infectedpatients with non-specific uveitis were compatible with the clinical features of uveitis described as HTLV-I-associated uveitis (HAU). CONCLUSION: It is important to suspect HAU in patients with uveitis of unknown etiology, even outside known areas of prevalence.
Authors: M Mochizuki; T Watanabe; K Yamaguchi; K Yoshimura; S Nakashima; M Shirao; S Araki; K Takatsuki; S Mori; N Miyata Journal: Am J Ophthalmol Date: 1992-08-15 Impact factor: 5.258
Authors: R F Khabbaz; J M Douglas; F N Judson; R A Spiegel; M E St Louis; W Whittington; T M Hartley; M Lairmore; J E Kaplan Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 1990-07 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: S Akizuki; O Nakazato; Y Higuchi; K Tanabe; M Setoguchi; S Yoshida; Y Miyazaki; S Yamamoto; S Sudou; K Sannomiya Journal: Lancet Date: 1987-01-17 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Y Maeda; M Furukawa; Y Takehara; K Yoshimura; K Miyamoto; T Matsuura; Y Morishima; K Tajima; K Okochi; Y Hinuma Journal: Int J Cancer Date: 1984-06-15 Impact factor: 7.396
Authors: N Ohba; M Matsumoto; M Sameshima; Y Kabayama; K Nakao; K Unoki; F Uehara; K Kawano; I Maruyama; M Osame Journal: Jpn J Ophthalmol Date: 1989 Impact factor: 2.447