Antibodies to adult t‐cell leukemia‐virus‐associated antigen (atla) in sera from patients with atl and controls in japan: A nation‐wide sero‐epidemiologic study

A nation‐wide sero‐epidemiologic survey of adult T‐cell leukemia virus (ATLV), detected es anti‐ATLA (ATLV‐associated antigen), was made in Japan. Sera from adult donors in 15 different locations were screened for anti‐ATLA. High incidences (6 to 37%) of antibody‐positive donors were found in seven regions, one in northern Japan, and the others in southwestern regions. These areas are ATLV‐endemic areas corresponding to ATL‐endemic areas. Examination of sera from healthy donors aged 6 to 80 years in ATL‐endemic areas showed an age‐dependent increase of seropositive donors with a maximum of about 30% at 40 years of age. Anti‐ATLA was found in all but two of 142 patients with ATL Anti‐ATLA‐positive patients with ATL were mainly found in ATLV‐endemic areas, and only a few in ATL‐nonendemic areas. Six patients with cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma in ATLV‐nonendemic areas gave a negative reaction for anti‐ATLA. The geometric mean titer of anti‐ATLA of patients with ATL was higher than that of healthy donors.