Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42655700›Full record

ArticleViruses2026

Experiences from Two Decades of HTLV-1/2 Testing in a Low-Prevalence Area in Southern Germany, 2004 to 2024.

Klaus Korn, Philipp Steininger, Barbara Schmidt, Andrea K Thoma-Kress, Lennart Forneck, Antje Knöll

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Viruses, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Klaus KornHarald zur Hausen Institute of Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1891-2107
Philipp SteiningerHarald zur Hausen Institute of Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-4493-4556
Barbara SchmidtInstitute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Molecular Microbiology (Virology), University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0059-0349
Andrea K Thoma-KressHarald zur Hausen Institute of Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8568-9526
Lennart ForneckHarald zur Hausen Institute of Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
Antje KnöllHarald zur Hausen Institute of Virology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1294-6923

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a neglected pathogen with a heterogeneous global distribution. In low-prevalence areas, diagnostic testing is challenged by limited clinical awareness and the low positive predictive value of screening tests. We retrospectively analyzed 10,891 HTLV-1/2 test results from 7719 patient samples submitted to a specialized laboratory in Germany between 2004 and 2024. Antibody screening had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 31.7% for the Diasorin Murex HTLV I + II assay (39 of 123 reactive samples confirmed) and 34.5% for the Abbott Architect rHTLV-1/2 assay (67 of 194 reactive samples confirmed). Raising the sample/cutoff (s/co) threshold to ≥5 would have increased the PPV to >80%, with only two missed diagnoses per assay. HTLV-1 infection was confirmed in 124 carriers and HTLV-2 infection in three carriers. The vast majority of carriers originated from countries with higher endemicity. A delayed antibody response was observed in HTLV-1 infections via organ transplantation. In four patients with neurological disease, elevated HTLV-1/2-specific antibody indices showed antibody production in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). HTLV-1 proviral load was measured in 83 carriers, with a median of 20,000 HTLV-1 DNA copies per 10

Indexed as

HTLV-II InfectionsHTLV-I InfectionsHuman T-lymphotropic virus 1Human T-lymphotropic virus 2AdultAgedAntibodies, ViralFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesAntibodies, Viraladult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL)antibody detectiondiagnosticsGermanyHTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP)human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV-2)proviral load

Identifiers

PMID42655700
PMCPMC13517355

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.