HTLV-III: the etiologic agent of AIDS. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1986. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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HTLV-III: the etiologic agent of AIDS.

Princess Takamatsu Symp. 1984;15:301-8. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/86111572
Sarngadharan MG; DeVico AL; Bruch L; Schupbach J; Gallo RC

Abstract: A retrovirus belonging to the family of human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) was isolated from several patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-related complex (ARC) and asymptomatic homosexual males at increased risk of developing AIDS. This new virus was designated HTLV-III. A serological screening procedure incorporating an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a radioimmunoassay using a Western blot technique was developed employing disrupted HTLV-III as the antigen source. These assays identified serum antibodies to HTLV-III antigens in almost all patients with AIDS, greater than 90% patients with ARC and about 40% of homosexual males at risk for developing AIDS. In a study of transfusion associated AIDS (TA-AIDS) all 19 of the TA-AIDS cases had antibodies to HTLV-III. Similarly 31 of 35 high risk donors who donated to cases of TA-AIDS had antibodies to HTLV-III. All four of the antibody negative high risk donors donated to cases that received blood from at least one other high risk donor. In contrast only 2 of 255 other donors were antibody positive. The data clearly indicate that TA-AIDS cases developed the disease as a result of transmission of HTLV-III through contaminated blood and that HTLV-III is the primary etiologic agent of AIDS.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*ETIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY/ TRANSMISSION Antibodies, Viral/ANALYSIS Blood Transfusion/ADVERSE EFFECTS Homosexuality Human HTLV-BLV Viruses/IMMUNOLOGY/*PATHOGENICITY Male JOURNAL ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/KWDetiology/immunology/transmissionantibodies,viral/analysisbloodtransfusion/adverseeffectshomosexualityhumanhtlv-blvviruses/immunology/KWDpathogenicitymalejournalarticle
860530
M8650222

Copyright © 1986 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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