title: Sequence analysis of the first HTLV-I infection in Germany without relations to endemic areas.
abstract: In most parts of Europe only a limited number of sporadic cases of HTLV-I infections have been identified. So far, the few cases found in Germany have always been linked to individuals with relations to endemic areas. Here we report the first HTLV-I infection from a German ATL patient without any known risk for HTLV-I infection and with no relations to known endemic areas. The DNA sequence of the provirus was determined, and a phylogenetic analysis based on the LTR sequence established a close relationship with HTLV-I sequences previously found in two Romanian patients. Our data suggest the existence of a previously unrecognized cluster of HTLV-I infections in southeastern or central Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Robert Koch Institut, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ellerbrok
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salemi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vandamme
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pauli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral