HTLV National Register

National Health Service Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) began testing all blood donations in HTLV in August 2002. Some of the positive donors identified had donated blood before the introduction of testing. As a result, the NHSBT began a 'look back' to identify any recipients of these potentially infected donations. The results of which demonstrated that the introduction of white blood cell filters reduced the risk of HTLV-1 transmission13.

 

HTLV-1 infected blood donors and recipients provided an opportunity to recruit these people and their families to an HTLV national register for long-term follow up14. This has now been running for over 10 years. All HTLV-1 infected but asymptomatic persons (no signs of symptoms of HTLV-1 related disease) are eligible to participate in this study to determine better the impact on health of HTLV-1 infection in the long term. The register is still open to new participants.

 

For more information on participation contact: imperial.htlv@nhs.net

 

Newsletters

Please click here to read the HTLV National Register newsletter, Issue 11, June 2017

Please click here to read the HTLV National Register newsletter, Issue 12, October 2019

Please click here to read the HTLV National Register newsletter, Issue 13, November 2021

 

References

13 Hewitt PE, Davison K, Howell DR, Taylor GP. Human T-lymphotropic virus lookback in NHS Blood and Transplant (England) reveals the efficacy of leukoreduction. Transfusion. 2013;53(10):2168-75.

14 Brant LJ, Cawley C, Davison KL, Taylor GP. Recruiting individuals into the HTLV cohort study in the United Kingdom: clinical findings and challenges in the first six years, 2003 to 2009. Euro Surveill. 2011;16(46).