The two main subgroups of the family of human T-lymphotropic retroviruses (HTLV) that have previously been characterized are known as HTLV-I and HTLV-II. Both are associated with certain human leukemias and lymphomas. Cell surface antigens (p61 and p65) encoded by HTLV-I are frequently recognized, at low titers, by antibodies in the serum of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AID...

To confirm and differentiate between human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and HTLV-II infections, we analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) samples of peripheral blood lymphocytes from 98 individuals seropositive for HTLV-I/II using pol (SK110/111) and tax (SK43/44) consensus primer pairs. A total of 96 samples (97.9%) were positive by the tax generic probe, while 95 were typed ...

T HE HUMAN T-cell lymphotropic viruses type I and type II (HTLV-I and HTLV-II) are closely related human retroviruses and have similar biological properties, genetic organization, and tropism for T lymphocytes. They were the first 2 retroviruses to be identified in humans in 19801 and 1982, respectively? They belong to the Oncovirinae subfamily, are typically lymphoproliferative, and are able t...

A number of non-human-immunodeficiency-virus (HIV) type 1 disorders are associated with CD4+ T-cell deficiency and dysfunction. However, the etiopathogenesis of CD4+ T-cell immunodeficiency in these disease states remains unclear. Human intracisternal retroviral (HICRV) particles were detected in a lymphoblastoid cell line exposed to mononuclear cells from a patient with severe CD4+ T-cell defi...

Background: Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopa-thy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is an inflammatory disease which occurs in less than 2% of HTLV-I -infected individuals. High proviral load, high HTLV-I-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte frequency (CTL) and host genetic factors such as HLA all appear to be associated with HTLV-I infection. Previous stud...

In countries with a low prevalence of human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infection, indeterminate HTLV serologies are a major problem in blood bank screening because of the uncertainties about infection in these cases. The recent discovery of two new types of simian T-lymphotropic viruses (STLV), which give an HTLV-indeterminate serology, raises the question whether indeterminate serologies in h...

BACKGROUND Over 20 million persons are infected with HTLV-I/II globally. The virus is endemic in Africa and it is also transmitted sexually. Continued identification of high risk groups is important for the control of the disease. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of HTLV infection amongst two highly sexually active groups, pregnant women and CSWs in South Western Nigeria. METHODS Seru...

BACKGROUND Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) type I has been linked to adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) and HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM). Transmission of HTLV by blood and organ transplantation has been documented, with some infections leading to clinical disease. Organ donors are tested for anti-HTLV antibodies and donor suitability is determined primarily by results from enzym...

A unique human retrovirus (human T-cell leukemia virus type II, HTLV-II), isolated from a patient with a T-cell variant of hairy-cell leukemia, has been shown to be distinct from the more common isolates of human T-cell leukemia virus. This virus was tested for its ability to transform normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The HTLV-II-infected T-cell line Mo-T was lethally x-irradiated and...

Previously we showed that mononuclear cells from about half of human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-seropositive persons exhibit spontaneous proliferation in vitro. We sought to determine if proliferation was associated with other immunologic changes characteristic of HTLV infection. The parameters assessed were (1) percentages of lymphocytes expressing CD4 and/or CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor), (2...