The Human T-lymphotropic virus is a oncoretrovírus responsible for lymphoproliferative, inflammatory, degenerative of central nervous system and some human immune disorders. Although associations with various other diseases, tropical spastic paraparesis or HTLV-associated myelopathy (HAM / TSP), progressive and disabling disease of the nervous system, and the Leukemia / Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell (LLcTA), lymphoproliferative disease, malignant and lethal, are the main diseases consistently defined as caused by HTLV-1. The spread of the virus happens quietly, especially from mother to child and through sexual contact. In Brazil, where there are areas of high prevalence, there is still little official information on the transmission. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against T-lymphotropic virus Human T-Cell - types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 / 2) among relatives of confirmed to carry the virus, registered at the clinic of the Tropical Medicine Nucleus (NMT) to study the characteristics of the HTLV transmission in family groups in the metropolitan area of Belém do Pará was conducted a cross-sectional study of outpatient basis, involving 82 patients enrolled in NMT and their relatives who were tested for antibodies HTLV-1 / 2, using the ELISA test (Ortho Diagnostic System Inc., U.S.) in the period between June 2007 and November 2009. The seroprevalence of HTLV-1 / 2 was observed in 40.2% (33/82) of families and 24.0% (50/208) in the total households surveyed. The transmission from mother to child (a) occurred in 23.2% (19/82) of families, with seropositivity rates of 22.4% (17/76) for girls and 15.2% (7 / 46) for children (p> 0.05). Sexual transmission likely occurred in 25.6% (21/82) of families and 42.0% (21/50) of couples, with rates of seropositivity in wives and husbands of 53.1% (18/34) and 18.8% (3 / 16), respectively (p <0.05). There was no significant difference in seroprevalence among relatives of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and between HTLV-1 and HTLV-2. Conclude that there is aggregation of the HTLV infection in families investigated and that the data obtained are in agreement with those previously reported in the literature. Care services should routinely carry out the education of HTLV-positive and maintain control measures of family contacts, to prevent the spread of the virus, mainly through sexual contact and breastfeeding.
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