HTLV-1 associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in Israel: report of two patients of Romanian origin.
Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was the first human oncovirus isolated by Gallo et al. in 1980 and established as an etiological agent for adult T-cell leukemia/ lymphoma (ATL). Although more than 15 million individuals are infected by HTLV-1 through the world, the spread of the virus is highly endemic. The HTLV-1 infection is prevailing in southwestern Japan, inter-tropical Africa, Central and South America. In Kyushu district, Japan, the seroprevalence reaches >30% in the adult population. In the US, Europe and the Middle East the HTLV-1 infection is very rare, and cases of ATL have been reported sporadically. We describe here acute ATL in two patients of Jewish- Romanian origin. The epidemiological anamnesis and screening indicate that both patients acquired the HTLV-1 from their mothers leaving in Romania.
Shtalrid
Mordechai
M
Department of Hematology, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.
Shvidel
Lev
L
Korenfeld
Roman
R
Duek
Adrian
A
Landau
Zvi
Z
Berrebi
Alain
A
D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D007585:Jews; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000635:transmission*; D012383:Romania / Q000208:ethnology