Seroepidemiologic study of antibody to adult T-cell leukemia virus in Okinawa, Japan.

From 1980 to 1984, a total of 3,978 serum samples were collected from healthy subjects in the Yaeyama District of Okinawa, Japan. These serum samples were tested for presence of antibody to adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigen (anti-ATLA) by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Overall prevalence of anti-ATLA was 15.3%. Standardized prevalence differed from island to island: Hateruma Island had the highest (21.2%) and Taketomi Island the lowest (6.2%). Prevalence of anti-ATLA increased with age and was significantly higher in females (18.1%) than in males (12.2%) (p less than 0.001). For subjects younger than 20 years of age, the rate of anti-ATLA in males was slightly higher than that in females. For subjects 20 years of age and over, prevalence was higher in females than in males. In all age groups 40 years and over, prevalence was significantly higher in females than in males.