Haruko Komoda

HIGH INCIDENCE OF HTLV ANTIBODY IN CARRIERS OF STRONGYLOIDES STERCORALIS

SIR,-A high incidence of carriage of human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV) has been observed in south-western Japan, including the Okinawa islands, where adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL) is endemic. A survey by the Okinawa Haematological Association has revealed about 50 cases of ATL in the past three years in Okinawa. Okinawa is also an endemic area for strongy10idiasis,2,3 though carriers of Strongyloides stercoralis are rare in other south-

Sporadic Carriers of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type I in Northern Egypt

Sera from 3,158 individuals living in northern Egypt were tested for the presence of antibodies against human T‐lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV‐I) by the newly developed particle agglutination (PA) test. Ten sera gave a positive reaction in the PA test. Eight of these sera were examined further by Western blotting and all of them gave several bands corresponding to HTLV‐I structural proteins. Two of the 8 sera gave positive results in the indirect immunofluorescence test. The results indicate the presence of HTLV‐I carriers in this area, although at very low incidence (0.063%).