HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Report of the first cases in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

During the 80's, the HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) was identified in regions such as the Caribe, South Africa, Southern India, Seychelles Islands, Ivory Coast and Southern Japan. Those areas were found to be endemic for the HTLV-I, the etiologic agent for HAM/TSP. Towards the end of that decade and at the beginning of the 90's, several authors have described cases in non-tropical areas or in areas not known to be endemic for the disease as the United States and Europe. Papers published regarding the cases in Brazil have described its presence in the North, Northeastern and Southeastern areas.