Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus Screening in France: Missed Opportunities? A Retrospective Multicenter Study of Serological Testing in Hospital Laboratories

Overview

Journal IJID Reg

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2024 Jul 23

PMID 39041060

Authors

Olivier Moquet

Ibrahima Faye

Nicolas Auffret

Benoit Garin

Segolene Brichler

Raymond Cesaire

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 infection is endemic in the French Antilles, French Guiana, and sub-Saharan Africa, the origin of many immigrants currently living in France. There are no national screening recommendations outside of the regulatory obligations concerning donations of blood, tissue, gametes, or milk to a lactarium. This study aimed to investigate the screening and diagnostic practices for this infection in France.

Methods: Serological statistics for regulatory, antenatal, sexually transmitted infections (for CeGIDDs (Centre Gratuit d'Information, de Dépistage et de Diagnostic des Infections Sexuellement Transmissibles), which are public sexual health clinics), accidental exposure to blood screenings, and diagnosis since January 1, 2018 were collected from 23 hospital laboratories (two in the French Antilles, 21 in mainland France) associated with 55 hospitals and 22 maternity units.

Results: A total absence of antenatal screening was reported by 75% of the laboratories associated with maternity units in mainland France. All the laboratories in mainland France reported an absence of screening in the accidental exposure to blood context, as did all the laboratories in mainland France associated with a CeGIDD in the context of sexually transmitted infection screening. Conversely, screening in accordance with the existing regulations was generally systematically carried out. The most frequently reported diagnostic contexts were hematology and neurology.

Conclusions: This study reveals an underscreening of human T-lymphotropic virus 1 in the hospital laboratories of mainland France.

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