A HTLV-I carrier who showed various symptoms and antibodies of autoimmune diseases

Intern Med. 1993 Jun;32(6):449-54. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.32.449.

Abstract

We report a 37-year-old female HTLV-I carrier with complicating primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). Serum anti-HTLV-I antibody titer was x256. Flower cells (4.5%) were found in the peripheral blood. Southern blot analysis showed no clonal integration in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) DNA. Polymerase chain reaction showed the HTLV-I genome in PBL DNA. As cholestatic liver dysfunction and serum titer of anti-mitochondrial antibody were found, a clinical diagnosis of PBC was made. This patient later developed MCTD. These diseases responded well to prednisone. The pathogenetic relationship of HTLV-I infection with various autoimmune diseases is discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / complications*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / microbiology
  • Carrier State / immunology*
  • DNA, Viral / blood
  • Deltaretrovirus Antibodies / blood
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Female
  • HLA Antigens / analysis
  • HTLV-I Infections / complications*
  • HTLV-I Infections / immunology
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / isolation & purification
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / pathogenicity*
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / complications*
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / drug therapy
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / immunology
  • Lymphocytes / microbiology
  • Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / complications*
  • Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / drug therapy
  • Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / immunology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polyradiculoneuropathy / complications
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • DNA, Viral
  • Deltaretrovirus Antibodies
  • HLA Antigens
  • Prednisone