title: Antibody to human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 in West-Indian-born UK residents with spastic paraparesis.
abstract: Of 13 West-Indian-born UK residents with spastic paraparesis of unknown cause, 11 were tested for serum antibody to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and all were positive. Their magnetic resonance imaging scans were normal or showed only minor abnormalities in the brain, and the spinal cord was normal in the 5 investigated. Of 48 patients with multiple sclerosis, mainly caucasian, none had antibody to HTLV-1 in the blood.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D006113:United Kingdom; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies