Clinical evolution of cutaneous T cell lymphoma in a patient with antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus type I.
A woman who emigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic developed the first signs of cutaneous T cell lymphoma during the last trimester of her pregnancy. This patient, found to have a positive reaction against human T-lymphotropic (leukemia-lymphoma) virus type I (HTLV-I), was followed up prospectively from the appearance of the initial skin lesion to the development of high-count helper T cell leukemia. Antibodies reactive with the core protein of HTLV-I were also identified in her husband and mother but not in her 2-year-old daughter. Examination of the patient's course provides clues about the latency period and transmission of HTLV-I and highlights similarities between HTLV-I-positive and HTLV-I-negative cutaneous T cell lymphoma.
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006800:Deltaretrovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
D000914:Antibodies, Viral