Period prevalence of uveitis in human T‐lymphotropic virus 1 carriers versus noncarriers in a highly endemic area: The Nagasaki Islands Study

Abstract

AbstractThe magnitude of the effect of human T‐lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV‐1) infection on uveitis remains unclear. We conducted a cross‐sectional study in a highly endemic area of HTLV‐1 in Japan. The study included 4265 residents (men, 39.2%), mostly middle‐aged and older individuals with a mean age of 69.9 years, who participated in our surveys between April 2016 and September 2022. We identified HTLV‐1 carriers by screening using chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays and confirmatory tests, and the proportion of carriers was 16.1%. Participants with uveitis were determined from the medical records of all hospitals and clinics where certified ophthalmologists practiced. We conducted logistic regression analyses in an age‐ and sex‐adjusted model to compute the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of uveitis according to HTLV‐1 infection status. Thirty‐two (0.8%) participants had uveitis. For HTLV‐1 carriers, the age‐ and sex‐adjusted OR (95% CI) of uveitis was 3.27 (1.57–6.72) compared with noncarriers. In conclusion, HTLV‐1 infection was associated with a higher risk of uveitis among mostly middle‐aged and older Japanese residents in a highly endemic HTLV‐1 area. Our findings suggest that physicians who treat HTLV‐1 carriers should assess ocular symptoms, and those who diagnose patients with uveitis should consider HTLV‐1 infection.