Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II-associated myelopathy: clinical and immunologic profiles

Ann Neurol. 1996 Nov;40(5):714-23. doi: 10.1002/ana.410400507.

Abstract

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) is endemic in several ethnic tribes and among intravenous drug users in metropolitan areas. Despite the presence of HTLV-II in these various populations, the association of HTLV-II with disease is sparse and mainly limited to isolated case reports. This study is an extension of an earlier description of an HTLV-II-infected patient with neurologic disease and presents the clinical and immunologic findings of 4 patients with HTLV-II seropositivity and spastic paraparesis. The patients are of African-American origin with 3 of the patients being of Amerindian descent. All of the patients are seronegative for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The patients progressed to a nonambulatory state in less than 5 years. Magnetic resonance imaging studies obtained from 3 of the patients demonstrated white matter disease in the cerebrum and spinal cord. The cerebrospinal fluid and serum contained antibodies to HTLV-II. The presence of proviral HTLV-II was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). A spinal cord biopsy from 1 patient demonstrated HTLV RNA within a lesion. Immunologic studies on 2 patients demonstrated that spontaneous lymphoproliferation of PBLs was present but decreased relative to HTLV-I-infected patients. The clinical and immunologic findings from these HTLV-II-infected patient resemble those found in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Black People
  • Black or African American
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / virology
  • Brain Diseases / etiology
  • Brain Diseases / immunology
  • Brain Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • HTLV-II Antibodies / blood
  • HTLV-II Infections / complications
  • HTLV-II Infections / pathology*
  • HTLV-II Infections / physiopathology*
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Indians, North American
  • Lymphocytes / virology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Spinal Cord / pathology
  • Spinal Cord / virology
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / etiology
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / pathology
  • Spinal Cord Diseases / physiopathology*

Substances

  • HTLV-II Antibodies
  • RNA, Viral