Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 infection and tropical spastic paraparesis in Belgian expatriates

P Goubau, H Carton, P Cornet, G Vercauteren, A Van Gompel, H De Vooght, P Piot, J Desmyter

    Research output: Contribution to journalA1: Web of Science-articlepeer-review

    Abstract

    A case of HTLV-1 associated tropical spastic paraparesis is described in a Belgian nun who had been working as a midwife in Central Africa. Occupational exposure was the only risk factor identified. Among 2,482 Belgian expatriates in tropical countries, 92% of whom had resided in sub-Saharan Africa for an average of 15.5 years, only one Belgian-born man was found seropositive for HTLV-1. He was married to an African woman and living in Central Africa for 23 years. The risk of HTLV-1 infection is low in Belgian expatriates and on its own does not support generalised anti-HTLV screening in autochthonous Belgian blood donors
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalJournal of Medical Virology
    Volume36
    Pages (from-to)13-15
    ISSN0146-6615
    Publication statusPublished - 1992

    Keywords

    • B780-tropical-medicine
    • Imported diseases
    • Viral diseases
    • HTLV-1
    • Tropical spastic paraparesis
    • Serology
    • Case reports
    • Belgium
    • Europe-West
    • Congo-Kinshasa
    • Africa-Central

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