ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The precise cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown. However, there are risk factors that may increase the chances of getting it, such as viral infections. Recent studies have suggested a potential link between Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) infection and certain autoimmune disorders. However, the association between HTLV-1 and RA remains poorly understood. Understanding the potential association between HTLV-1 and autoimmune diseases is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to investigate the serological prevalence of HTLV-1 in one of the autoimmune diseases namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MATERIALS AND METHODS Serum samples from 75 patients with RA and 75 healthy controls were collected for this cross sectional study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA (Dia.Pro, Italy kit), a widely used serological test, was used to detect the presence of HTLV-1 antibodies in the samples. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Only 10 out of the 60 samples from the RA patients showed positivity for HTLV-1, while none of the healthy control samples exhibited the presence of HTLV-1 antibodies. Despite the limited number of HTLV-1-positive samples, these findings suggest a possible association between HTLV-1 infection and the development of RA. CONCLUSION This study presents preliminary evidence suggesting a possible association between HTLV-1 infection and rheumatoid arthritis. These findings emphasize the importance of considering HTLV-1 infection as a possible contributing factor in the complex etiology of autoimmune diseases. Further research is essential to clarify the exact role of HTLV-1 in the pathogenesis of RA, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association and paving the way for more targeted and effective therapeutic approaches for affected patients
