Affiliations: [a] Department of Medical Laboratory Services, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria | [b] Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria | [c] Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria | [d] Department of Family Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria | [e] Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, African Field Epidemiology Network, Abuja, Nigeria | [f] WHO National Polio Laboratory, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Idris Nasir Abdullahi, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, PMB 05 Samaru Road, Zaria, Nigeria. Tel.: +234 8030522324; E-mails: eedris888@yahoo.com and inabdullahi @abu.edu.ng.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is the paucity of HTLV-1/-2 studies on Nigerian pregnant women despite the medical and public health significance of maternal-to-child transmission of HTLV-1/-2. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of HTLV-1/-2 infections among pregnant women attending the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Abuja, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected from consented pregnant women and analysed for ant-HTLV-1/-2 total antibodies using a commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collate participants’ socio-demographic variables and risk factors of HTLV infection. RESULTS: Out of the 156 pregnant women tested for HTLV-1/-2 antibodies, 16 (10.3%) were seropositive. There was no significant association between the socio-demographic variables collated and seroprevalence of HTLV-1/-2 infection among pregnant women (p> 0.05). Pregnant women with HIV infection had a lower prevalence of HLTV-1/-2 infection than those without HIV infections (7.5% versus 11.7%). Pregnant women with multiple sexual partners had a higher risk of HTLV-1/-2 infection than those who had single (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 0.53–8.18). Women with a history of needles injury had a higher risk of HTLV-1/-2 infection than those who do not (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.38–4.08). The history of blood transfusion was significantly associated with HTLV-1/-2 infection (p= 0.027). However, no significant association existed between other risk factors of HTLV-1/-2 infection among pregnant women (p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: Considering the 3% pooled national prevalence of HTLV-1/-2 infection in Nigeria, the seroprevalence reported in this study is relatively high. Thus, there is a need for more large cohort studies and routine screening of population at increased risk of infection.
