I recently started talking to a guy and I really like him. He told me yesterday that he contracted HTLV in the Bahamas from contaminated foods. Is this possible? He found out that he had HTLV when he went to donate blood. Am I at a risk for also contracting this disease? How serious is this? Should I be worried about getting into a serious relationship with someone who has this?

Thank You

First of all, I have to question the way he got the disorder. Once cannot get HTLV from contaminated foods. It is transmitted through bodily fluids much the way HIV/AIDS is transmitted: Contaminated needles... unprotected sex... infected blood donor... breast milk.

The man gives it to the woman easier than a woman can give it to a man.

Quote:

---

HTLV is passed on via body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk) from an infected person, like HIV and the hepatitis viruses, and so the preventive measures listed below should prevent the transmission of all of these viruses.

Safer sex: any sexual contact which involves the transfer of body fluids from aninfected individual to anyone else carries the risk of spreading infection.

The degree of risk varies with activity. Using a condom reduces the likelihood of transmission of sexually transmitted infections.

---

What is HTLV?

Here you go...

Quote:

---

HTLV stands for human T cell lymphotropic virus, as it infects a type of white blood cell called a T-cell or T-lymphocyte.

There are two types of HTLV: HTLV-I and HTLV-II. They are retroviruses

HTLV-I is a very old virus, which appears to have infected and moved with humans for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

HTLV-I is endemic (common) in the Caribbean, Japan, South America, and parts of Africa.

HTLV-II is found among native Americans.

---

And your sure you can only get this through body fluids? I was reading about it, and it sounds like it causes cancer

Have the 2 of you had unprotected sex?

No I haven't had sex with him at all I have only been out with him one time and I just was asking because I don't know if its really worth getting into a serious relationship with someone if they have such a serious problem... plus if he lied about the reason.

If you choose to have sex with him, please use protection, this is a serious illness that most likely will be transmitted to you if protection is not used.

I don't know much about HTLV but from what I read about it, it does sound like he lied about it. I don't think that you should be getting into a relationship with this guy. Something doesn't add up, and you don't want what he's got. IT said its easier for a man to give it to a woman then it is for a woman to give it to a man.

Thank you so much I really don't think I am going to risk it... I have a bad feeling now because of the fact that he lied.

Go with that feeling and good luck to you.