title: Human T-lymphotropic virus type I in Japan.
abstract: Adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL) was first reported in Japan, where it has a high incidence in the southwest region. The retrovirus human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is the cause of ATL; and in ATL-endemic areas, the rate of carriage of antibodies to HTLV-I is high. A definite diagnosis of ATL is based on the presence of HTLV-I proviral DNA in the tumour-cell DNA. ATL cells originate from the CD4 subset of peripheral T cells. ATL shows diverse clinical features but can be divided into four subtypes--acute, chronic, smouldering, and lymphoma type. It is resistant to chemotherapy, and the acute and lymphoma types have a poor prognosis. Familial occurrence of ATL is common. HTLV-I infection is caused by transmission of live infected lymphocytes from mother to child, from man to woman, or by transfusion. Infection with HTLV-I can lead to other diseases, including HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and HTLV-I uveitis, possibly via induction of immunodeficiency or hyperreactivity against HTLV-I-infected cells.
authors.affiliation: Blood Transfusion Service, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011379:Prognosis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies