title: Human T lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: We conducted a prospective clinical and epidemiologic evaluation of 45 cases of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in São Paulo, Brazil. All enrolled patients had progressive chronic myelopathy and high titers of HTLV-I and HTLV-II antibodies, as determined by enzyme immunoassay and western blot. In 24 cases, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed so that HTLV-I could be distinguished from HLTV-II. The clinical and epidemiologic features of the patients from our study were similar to those of patients with HAM/TSP from other areas of endemicity for HTLV-I except that more patients in our study had received a blood transfusion prior to their illness. Despite the presence of HTLV-II virus in Brazil, all patients whose serum was tested by PCR were found to be infected with the HTLV-I virus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Muniz
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bassit
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Alquezar
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Marchiori
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Chamone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scaff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015480:Deltaretrovirus Antibodies