Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences (Mar 2021)

Planning and management to control and eliminate HTLV-1 infection in Iran

  • Reza Boostani,
  • Nasim Lotfinejad,
  • Fariba Zemorshidi,
  • Zohreh Vahidi,
  • Seyed Abdolrahim Rezaee,
  • Reza Farid,
  • Houshang Rafatpanah

DOI
https://doi.org/10.22038/ijbms.2021.50803.11562
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 3
pp. 264 – 266

Abstract

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Prevention and treatment of the Human T-cell leukemia virus, type 1 (HTLV-1) which was discovered nearly 40 years ago, still remain challenging. The reported high prevalence of HTLV-1 in some countries around the world triggered an open letter to the World Health Organization (WHO), urging action against HTLV-1 infection in 2018. This highlights the importance of virus elimination strategies to eradicate HTLV-1 infection. In Iran, we have documented our experiences with the virus in order to achieve and promote the possible ways to manage, control, and eliminate HTLV-1. Although there has been considerable progress apropos of HTLV-1, a series of additional challenges need to be tackled to control HTLV-1 infection in Iran.

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