title: Acute myelitis as presenting symptom of HIV-HTLV-1 co-infection.
abstract: A 21-year-old woman presented with acute-onset spastic paraparesis. The MRI spinal scan revealed a contrast-enhanced T2 hyperintensity between C5-T2. The most common neurotropic pathogens were excluded by first level tests. Under suspicion of an acute immune-mediated myelitis, a corticosteroid therapy was administered. However, a seropositivity for both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 and human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) subsequently emerged. An antiretroviral therapy was started while steroids discontinued. Patient's clinical conditions remained unchanged. HIV-HTLV-1 co-infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of any acute myelitis, even in patients with a preserved immune status and no risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy. cucca.alberto@libero.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cucca
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stragapede
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Antonutti
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catalan
authors.affiliation: Lab. of Virology, Hygiene Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste (CIDP), Trieste, Italy.|Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caracciolo
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste (DP), Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valentinotti
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.affiliation: Lab. of Virology, Hygiene Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste (CIDP), Trieste, Italy.|Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Agaro
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manganotti
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060085:Coinfection; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015493:Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: HIV; HTLV; Myelitis