[Two cases of HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM) after cardiac operation].
Sixty-one and 51-year-old males had progressive walk disturbance after cardiac operations at the intervals of 1 and 2 years. They had received blood transfusion at their operations. Physical examination revealed spastic paraparesis, sensory disturbance of the lower and rectobladder disorder. High titers of anti-Human T-lymphotrophic Virus type-I (HTLV-I) antibody were found in sera and CNF in both cases. They were diagnosed as HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM). Because they lived in Aichi Prefecture where the virus is non-epidemic, they were possibly infected through the blood transfusion at their operations. For prevention of HAM, the anti-HTLV-I antibody of all donor blood should be checked before transfusion.
Akita
T
T
Department of Surgery, Nagoya First Red Cross Hospital, Japan.
Hayase
S
S
Yano
Y
Y
Ogawa
K
K
Hiramatsu
H
H
Hattori
T
T
D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000635:transmission*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction