Antibodies toStrongyloides stercoralisin Healthy Jamaican Carriers of HTLV-I

Abstract

To the Editor: A high prevalence of antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus Type I (HTLV-I) in persons with parasitologic evidence of Strongyloides stercoralis infection was recently reported from Okinawa by Nakada et al.¹ It has also been suggested that other parasitic infections, such as filariasis, may contribute as cofactors in the development of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) in carriers of HTLV-I virus.² Strongyloidiasis was specifically suggested as one cofactor in HTLV-I-induced leukemogenesis on the basis of this association, including the finding of monoclonal integration of HTLV-I proviral DNA in some patients with strongyloidiasis who did not have overt ATL.³ Another . . .