Polymyositis in childhood as clinical manifestation associated with HTLV-1.

Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neurophysiology/DFF/UFC and Institute of Biomedicine of the Brazilian Semiarid/ INCT/CNPq: MD, MSc; MD, PhD, Full Professor of Neurology and Neurophysiology/DFF/UFC; MD, Medical Doctor of the Brasília Base Hospital; MSc, PhD, Associate Professor of the Medicine Course of the Christus Faculty; DVM; DVM, PhD, Professor of the Superior School of Agriculture of Mossoró; DVM, PhD, Associate Professor of Histology/DM/UFC; MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuropsychology/DFF/UFC. The HTLV-1 (human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1) is a retrovirus etiologically associated with tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (TSP/ HAM) and adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia (ATLL). These two forms of clinical presentation are the best known and studied, although the virus may be also related with other clinical conditions, among them, the polymyositis. In Jamaica and Japan, the association between HTLV-1 seropositivity and polymyositis has been described in 85% and 16%, respectively. In the present study, we report a case of polymyositis associated with HTLV-1 as an uncommon form of clinical manifestation in a 10 years-old child mimicking muscular dystrophy. The possibility of vertical transmission (breast feeding) is outlined in this case. The parents of the patient signed a consent form.