Tracing the origin of Brazilian HTLV-1 as determined by analysis of host and viral genes.
Alcantara LCJ., de Oliveira T., Gordon M., Pybus O., Mascarenhas RE., Seixas MO., Gonçalves M., Hlela C., Cassol S., Galvão-Castro B.
We compared the genetic diversity of the Brazilian human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 isolates with those found in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, and with the genetic background of the hosts. The seroprevalence rate in KZN was 1.7%. All sequences belonged to the A subgroup. The presence of South African sequences in two different clusters from Brazil, and the finding of the beta-globin haplotype in infected hosts are consistent with the transmission of this virus from southern Africa to Brazil.