Antibodies to human adult T cell leukaemia virus type I associated antigens in Swedish leukaemia patients and blood donors.

Antibodies to antigens associated with human T cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV I) in Swedish adult leukaemia patients and blood donors were sought with a sensitive screening test using membrane antigen prepared from virus producing cells (MA-ELISA). Four persons (one ALL, one AML and two healthy blood donors) out of 483 persons tested reacted in the test. However, they were negative in the more specific anti-p19 and anti-whole virion ELISA tests. The prevalence of sera with definite anti-HTLV I activity seems to be very low in Sweden. The finding of four MA-ELISA positive persons needs further investigation.