Seroepidemiological studies on the effects of filarial parasites on infestation of adult T-cell leukemia virus in the Goto Islands, Japan.

Patients with filariasis were commonly observed until 1961-1970 in the Goto Islands, an area where adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is endemic. The positive rate of antibodies to ATL virus-associated antigen among persons with a high antibody titer to filarial antigen was higher than that among persons with a low antibody titer in both sexes. Thus, filarial parasites might have some promoting effects on ATL virus infection and/or ATL virus proliferation among inhabitants in the endemic areas of filariasis and ATL.