HTLV-I/II seroprevalence in 55 Brazilian patients with idiopathic uveitis.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I has been associated with adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, neurological disease (tropical spastic paraparesis or HTLV-I associated myelopathy) and, more recently, uveitis. This virus is highly endemic in some regions of the world, especially in southwest Japan, Caribbean islands, South America and parts of Central A frica1. The presence of HTLV-I/II in Brazil varies according to the geographical area, with seroprevalence in healthy blood donors ranging from 0.08 to 1.35% in studies conducted by the Ministry of Health5. In Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais State, a seroprevalence of 0.32%4 has been observed in eligible blood donors.