High HTLV-1 proviral load, a marker for HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, is also detected in patients with infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1.
Salvador (BA, Brazil) is an endemic area for human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). The overall prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in the general population has been estimated to be 1.76%. HTLV-1 carriers may develop a variety of diseases such as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1 (IDH). IDH is a chronic and severe form of childhood exudative and infective dermatitis involving mainly the scalp, neck and ears. It has recently been observed that 30% of patients with IDH develop juvenile HAM/TSP. The replication of HTLV-1 has been reported to be greater in adult HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers. In the current study, the proviral load of 28 children and adolescents with IDH not associated with HAM/TSP was determined and the results were compared to those obtained in 28 HTLV-1 adult carriers and 28 adult patients with HAM/TSP. The proviral load in IDH patients was similar to that of patients with HAM/TSP and much higher than that found in HTLV-1 carriers. The high levels of proviral load in IDH patients were not associated with age, duration of illness, duration of breast-feeding, or activity status of the skin disease. Since proviral load is associated with neurological disability, these data support the view that IDH patients are at high risk of developing HAM/TSP.
Primo
J
J
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Complexo Hospitalar Universitário Prof. Edgard Santos, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Siqueira
I
I
Nascimento
M C F
MC
Oliveira
M F
MF
Farre
L
L
Carvalho
E M
EM
Bittencourt
A L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002353:Carrier State; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000821:virology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000821:virology*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017193:Skin Diseases, Viral / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load
D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral