Prevalence of Human T-Lymphotropic Viruses 1 and 2 in Individuals Infected with Hepatitis C Virus in Belém do Pará, Brazil
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Coinfection between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human T-lymphotropic virus 1/2 (HTLV-1/2) remains poorly investigated in the Northern Region of Brazil despite its clinically important condition. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and describe the epidemiological and behavioral risk factors for HCV/HTLV-1/2 coinfection in Belém, Pará. This observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study analyzed 192 samples from patients previously diagnosed with HCV: 127 participants recruited between May 2023 and June 2025 and 65 samples previously stored in the Virology Laboratory of UFPA. Data were collected through a structured survey. Serological screening for HTLV-1/2 was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by INNO-LIA and molecular biology (qPCR). HCV/HTLV-1/2 coinfection was observed in 4 individuals (2.1%), of whom 1.6% had HCV/HTLV-1 coinfection and 0.5% HCV/HTLV-2. There was no statistically significant association when comparing the sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, or risk factors of HCV monoinfected and HCV/HTLV-1/2 coinfected individuals. Although the results show a low prevalence of HTLV-1/2 and HCV coinfection in Belém do Pará, they still reinforce the importance of including HTLV in testing protocols for patients with hepatitis C in the North region of Brazil.
Authors: Renata Santos de Sousa, Lorena de Carvalho Corrêa, Fabiola Santos da Silva Matos, Samia Meneses dos Santos, Marcos Daniel Mendes Padilha, Carolina Cabral Angelim, Álesson Adam Fonseca Andrade, Amanda Roberta Vieira Sacramento, Aline Cecy Rocha de Lima, João Lukas Nunes Almeida, Mauro Sérgio Moura de Araújo, Vitória Sahena Martins Souza Barbosa, Jacqueline Cortinhas Monteiro, Greice de Lemos Cardoso Costa, Andréa Nazaré Monteiro Rangel da Silva, Simone Regina Souza da Silva Conde, Luiz Fernando Almeida Machado, Izaura Maria Vieira Cayres Vallinoto, Antonio Carlos Rosário Vallinoto, Rosimar Neris Martins Feitosa
Institution: Universidade Federal do Pará
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Awards: G1204744111, G4254136057, G499533527
OpenAlex ID: W7148495013