Human T-lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 are rare among intravenous drug users in Eastern Europe.

Abstract Background In Europe, human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type 2 mainly occurs among intravenous drug users (IDUs) with prevalence up to 15% and HTLV-1 among general population with prevalence Methods The study included 345 IDUs and 138 healthy volunteers. The presence of HTLV-1/HTLV-2 was determined by nested PCR; positive and negative controls were used in every PCR run. Results The analysed IDUs resembled the IDUs of HIV epidemic in Estonia: mainly male (79%) with median age of 30 years (interquartile range [IQR] 25–34), and prolonged duration of intravenous drug usage (11 years; IQR 7–14). The prevalence exposure to blood-borne viral infections was high — 50% were HIV positive, 88% hepatitis C positive, 67% hepatitis B positive. Of IDUs, 64% reported receptive needle sharing in the past and 18% at least once a month during last six months. None of the IDUs carried HTLV-1 but there was a case of HTLV-2 (prevalence 0.3%; 95% CI 0.1–1.6). All healthy volunteers were HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 PCR negative. Conclusion This is the first study investigating the prevalence of HTLV-1/HTLV-2 among high risk population and healthy volunteers in Eastern European region. Our results suggest that despite other widely spread blood-borne infections (e.g. HIV, HBV, HCV) HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 are rare among IDUs in Estonia.