Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system and HTLV-I infection.
Only a few cases of AIDS-related primary lymphomas of the central nervous system (CNS) show a T-cell phenotype. We have recently studied two intravenous drug users with HIV infection who had primary CNS T-cell lymphomas. In both cases, the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for HTLV gave a positive result. In the first case, study by western-blot (WB) and specific PCR confirmed the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection and serological study by EIA for HTLV of his mother was negative. In the second case, analysis of ante-mortem serum samples by two different WBs showed an indeterminate pattern suggestive of HTLV-I infection, but adequate samples for PCR were not available. We speculate about the possibility that the horizontal transmission of HTLV-I infection could have facilitated the devepolment of a primary CNS T-cell lymphoma in these HIV patients, although they cannot be strictly considered as ATLL cases.
Calderón
Enrique J
EJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain. sandube@cica.es
Japón
Miguel A
MA
Chinchón
Isidoro
I
Soriano
Vicente
V
Capote
Francisco J
FJ
D000328:Adult; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications