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New virus warning
Jillian Dickens
On Friday, the Department of Health and Social Services confirmed that the HTLV-1 virus was detected in a Nunavut resident for the first time in June. One person who had the virus has since died of lymphoma.
The Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus, Type 1 (HTLV-1) infects the blood and can cause cancer of the blood and diseases of the nervous system, according to information provided by the Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services. Symptoms may include loss of strength in lower limbs, loss of bladder control, or blood cancer. Testing has found the virus in fewer than 20 cases in the territory to date. Determining how serious a health matter this is and what the next steps are to deal with it will take months of testing and gathering information. "It will take at least six months until we will be able to assess the prevalence of the virus in Nunavut," said Dr. Sobol, Nunavut's Chief Medical Officer. The virus is spread from an infected person to another in a couple of different ways: through unprotected sex; from woman to their babies at birth or through breastfeeding; and by sharing needles and syringes, said Dr. Sobol at the press conference. What's being done? Despite issuing the warning, the health department refused to say exactly how many cases there are in Nunavut or which communities are affected. "There is no medical reason to disclose this information. We're protecting patient confidentiality. And another thing is, a person who tests positive doesn't pose a risk to anyone they have casual contact with," said Sobol. "About four per cent of all people who were ever infected with this virus have been known to actually develop any illness related to the virus," said Dr. Sobol. The health department is offering confidential testing to persons at risk or persons who think they may be at risk and is still working to see if anyone else has contracted the virus. As well, blood samples from throughout Nunavut will be randomly tested to see how widespread this virus is in the territory. A similar screening process has been set up in the Northwest Territories. The Federal Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler Jones, has been briefed in the actions taken by the Nunavut Government so far and has given his support. "I can't think of a higher level of assurance than the chief public health officer giving us his blessing," said Dr. Sobol, adding Canada and Nunavut will be working as partners in combatting this health matter. "If we feel we will require additional help, we will discuss it with the federal government." Every year in Canada, 10 to 12 cases of people with HTLV-1 are reported. The virus was first identified in 1978 and has also been found in Japan, the Caribbean, Africa and in South and North America. The department did not disclose this information to the public as soon as they found out because other objectives took precedent, said Sobol. "Our first priority was to identify and help people who are infected, which is an ongoing process," he said. "Our second priority was to ensure all health care workers were fully briefed and that was just completed on Wednesday, Sept. 28." For more information, counselling and testing services, people can go to the health centres in their communities or Public Health in Iqaluit.
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