Antibodies to the Human T‐Cell Lymphoma/Leukemia Virus Type I in Dutch Haemophiliacs

Abstract
95 Dutch haemophiliacs were tested for antibodies to membrane antigens on cells infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I-MA) by indirect immunofluorescence and to purified HTLV-I by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibodies to HTLV-I-MA were present in 8 of 95 (8%) haemophiliacs, but only 3 (3%) had antibodies to purified HTLV-I. No clinical disease was related to HTLV-I seropositivity. The importance of iatrogenic HTLV-I transmission to haemophiliacs is discussed.