title: HTLV-I-associated myelopathy in a Californian: diagnosis by reactivity to a viral recombinant antigen.
abstract: A male patient developed leg numbness and weakness, and bowel, bladder, and erectile dysfunction. Examination revealed an isolated thoracic myelopathy, with lower-extremity spasticity, decreased vibration and position sense, hyperreflexia, and Babinski's signs. Serum and CSF showed antibody reactivity to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or II (HTLV-I/II), suggesting HTLV-I-associated myelopathy. Antibody reactivity to a unique HTLV-I recombinant protein provided definitive diagnosis of HTLV-I infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, CA.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Honig
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lipka
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Foung
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002140:California; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000939:Epitopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins