title: Detection of human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I in a transfusion recipient with chronic myelopathy.
abstract: A white man with a progressive spastic paraparesis that began 15 months after sustaining severe trauma in a motor vehicle accident was positive for antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum antibody to HTLV-I was confirmed by Western blot and radioimmunoprecipitation assay. We detected specific proviral DNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes by the polymerase chain reaction. Because the incidence of HTLV-I is generally restricted to Southern Japan and Caribbean black populations, the most likely source of HTLV-I infection in this patient was multiple intraoperative blood transfusions. The relatively short interval between transfusion and development of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy is consistent with the more rapid evolution of this clinical syndrome compared with adult T-cell leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Reed Neurological Research Center, Los Angeles, CA 90024.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Saxton
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruland
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aboulafia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delamarter
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012698:Serologic Tests; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral