Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Infection in Non-Intravenous Drug Using HIV Seropositive Men in Los Angeles

Sera from 634 homosexual men with Western blot-confirmed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were subjected to radioimmunoprecipation assay (RIPA) using an HTLV-I-infected human T-cell line (SLB-I). Sera obtained from Japanese adult T-cell leukemia patients, noninfected healthy individuals served as positive and negative controls. HIV-infected groups were comprised of asymptomatic homosexuals (n = 131), AIDS-related complex (n = 115), Kaposi's sarcoma (n = 300), AIDS-defining opportunistic infections (n = 76), and high-grade lymphomas (n = 12). Only two patients were known to be intravenous drug users. No instances of dual retroviral infection were detected. As a corollary, no cross reactivity between HTLV and HIV gene products was noted by RIPA. We conclude that HTLV infection is uncommon among select groups of HIV seropositive homosexuals who do not engage in intravenous drug abuse. Additional studies examining the seroprevalence and consequence of HTLV infection in broader based populations at risk for retroviral infection are required.