antenatal screening programme

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HTLV

This recommendation has been archived and is no longer regularly reviewed by the UK NSC.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV1) is a retrovirus (like HIV) which affects the immune system. It is associated with certain leukaemia and lymphoma. Most people have no symptoms.

Read more about lymphoma and HTLV1 on the NHS website.

Universal screening for HTLV infections in pregnancy is not recommended because there is not enough evidence to show screening would do more good than harm.

This is primarily because a UK analysis* highlighted concern about the potentially negative effect of maternal HTLV diagnosis on quality of life. This was considered critical when balanced against the potentially limited ability of screening to prevent adverse health outcomes associated with mother to child transmission of the infection.

After reviewing the evidence for population screening for HTLV in pregnancy on 4 occasions, the UK NSC has not found enough published information to support a recommendation for screening. The UK NSC recommended not to do another routine evidence review and to archive this recommendation.

The UK NSC will reopen this topic if new evidence becomes available that is likely to have a significant effect on the recommendation. Stakeholders can also submit an annual call proposal for the UK NSC to reopen this topic if new evidence becomes available.

Acting under its expanded remit, the UK NSC will consider if targeted screening for HTLV infections in pregnancy should be recommended.

*Ades, A.E., Simon Parker, Jane Walker, Mark Edginton, Graham P. Taylor, and Jonathan N. Weber. 2000. ‘Human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus infection in pregnant women in the United Kingdom: population study’, BMJ, 320: 1497-501

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