Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia, encodes unique regulatory and accessory proteins in the pX region of the provirus, including the open reading frame II product p13(II). p13(II) localizes to mitochondria, binds farnesyl pyrophosphate synthetase, an enzyme involved in posttranslational farnesylation of Ras, and alters Ras-dependent cell s...

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia, an aggressive CD4 malignancy. Although HTLV-2 is highly homologous to HTLV-1, infection with HTLV-2 has not been associated with lymphoproliferative disorders. Lentivirus-mediated transduction of CD34 cells with HTLV-1 Tax (Tax1) induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and resulted in the concomitant suppre...

Antibodies to human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and 2) were tested in 259 inhabitants (98 males and 161 females) of four villages of the Marajó Island (Pará, Brazil) using enzyme immunoassays (ELISA and Western blot). Types and subtypes of HTLV were determined by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the pX, env and 5 LTR regions. HTLV-1 infection was detected in Santan...

BACKGROUND The presence and origin of endemic foci of human T-lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV2) infection in Africa remain a matter of debate. METHODS To better appreciate such determinants, we performed a survey of 1918 inhabitants from Cameroon forest areas, including 1051 Bakola Pygmies and 867 Bantus. RESULTS The overall HTLV-1/2 seroprevalence was 4% (49 cases of HTLV-1 and 27 cases of...

INTRODUCTION The seroprevalence of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is very high among Brazilians (1:200). HTLV-1 associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is the most common neurological complication of HTLV-1 infection. HAM/TSP can present with an acute/subacute form of longitudinally extensive myelitis, which can be confused with lesions seen in aquaporin-4 a...

An asymptomatic, homosexual, white man was found to have an abnormal chest x ray. A presumptive diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made, but pulmonary function tests and a transbronchial biopsy were normal. He then remained asymptomatic for 10 years until he developed a progressive spastic paraparesis. At this point, antibodies to human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) were identified in the...

BACKGROUND The human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus associated with neurological alterations; individuals with HTLV-1 infection may develop HTLV-1 associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Frequent neurological complaints include foot numbness and leg weakness. In this study, we compared the distribution of the body weight on different areas of t...

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare, highly aggressive, malignancy caused by human virus type 1(HTLV-1) infection.1 It estimated that there are at least 5-10 million HTLV-1 carriers worldwide. Most of the infection thought to be acquired from mother-to-child transmission through breastfeeding. Sexual and blood transfusion other means infection. Only small number (2-5%) infected pati...

In this issue of ONCOLOGY, Tobinai reviews the management of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)–associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). Although rare in the United States, an estimated 10 to 20 million people are infected with HTLV-1 worldwide and 2% to 5% will develop ATL.[1] The prevalence of HTLV-1 infection and the consequent poor prognosis of ATL mark the disease as a...

Background: HTLV-1 is endemic in Guinea-Bissau, and the highest prevalence in the adult population (5.2%) was observed in a rural area, Caió, in 1990. HIV-1 and HIV-2 are both prevalent in this area as well. Cross-sectional associations have been reported for HTLV-1 with HIV infection, but the trends in prevalence of HTLV-1 and HIV associations are largely unknown, especially in Sub Saharan Afr...