title: Association of human T-cell leukemia virus and myelodysplastic syndrome in a central European population.
abstract: In addition to a few disorders such as acute T-cell leukemia that are typically associated with the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) 1 in endemic regions, this virus may also play a role in some other hematological diseases. Here, we examine the incidence of HTLV in hematological diseases from a nonendemic region in central Europe. Data obtained by PCR and/or serological techniques from a total of 730 cases showed that besides the expected presence of HTLV-1 in T-lymphoid diseases (2 of 27 cases), HTLV-1 was only detected in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), in which an incidence of 17% (11 of 65 cases) was found. A correlation with a history of multiple transfusions or treatment with blood products in the HTLV-1-positive MDS could not be ascertained. Cytogenetics detected the presence of del(5)(q) in six HTLV-positive cases (five MDS and one T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia) but in only one HTLV-negative case. These data indicate that allelic deletions of a series of 5q-located genes that typically occur in MDS may be associated with HTLV infections in central Europe.
authors.affiliation: L. Boltzmann Institute for Leukemia Research and Hematology, Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karlic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möstl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mucke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pavlova
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pfeilstöcker
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heinz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods