What is the disease of HTLV-1?

Key facts. The human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 is also known by the acronym HTLV-1, or as human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1. The virus can cause a type of cancer called adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATL). HTLV-1 is transmitted primarily through infected bodily fluids including blood, breast milk and semen.

Where is HTLV found?

HTLV-1 is present throughout the world, with clusters of high endemicity located often nearby areas where the virus is nearly absent. The main HTLV-1 highly endemic regions are the Southwestern part of Japan, sub-Saharan Africa and South America, the Caribbean area, and foci in Middle East and Australo-Melanesia.

What is the difference between HTLV-1 and 2?

HTLV-1 is the causal agent of adult T-cell leukemia and a progressive neurological disorder called HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (12, 34, 54). In contrast, HTLV-2 is essentially nonpathogenic, although a few cases of neurological disease in HTLV-2-infected individuals have been reported.

What is HTLV positive?

A positive HTLV-I/II molecular test indicates that the person tested has an HTLV-I or HTLV-II infection. If the molecular result is negative, then the person is less likely to be infected, but it cannot be ruled out as the amount of virus in the blood may have been too low to detect at the time of the test.

How was HTLV discovered?

HTLV-1 was first found by my co-workers and myself in 1979 from an analysis of a T cell line established by J Minna and his co-workers, P Bunn and A Gazdar from a patient these clinicians called a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Is HTLV-1 contagious?

HTLV-1 is spread by blood transfusions, sexual contact and sharing needles. It may be passed from mother to child during birth or breast-feeding.

How are you tested for HTLV?

Diagnosis. The diagnosis of HTLV infection is usually made by testing for HTLV antibodies in blood samples using enzyme-linked immunoassay. Reactive samples are confirmed by a Western blot or line assay, which also type the infection. Where serology is inconclusive, PCR for proviral DNA is performed.

What is the protein coat of a virus?

Capsid
Capsid – The capsid is the protein shell that encloses the nucleic acid; with its enclosed nucleic acid, it is called the nucleocapsid.

What causes HTLV?

Causes. The transmission of HIV (the virus responsible for AIDS) and HTLV-Type I infection are similar. Infection can occur by sexual contact with an infected individual, through sharing of contaminated needles and syringes by intravenous drug users, or as the result of a transfusion of contaminated blood.

What causes false positive HTLV?

A false-positive test result means that the initial screening test was reactive, but a more precise supplemental test was negative. Almost all false-positive test results occur because of interference with the test and are not due to infection. They are not testing errors.

How long can you live with HTLV-1?

For smoldering and chronic ATLL, median survival is estimated to be ∼30 to 55 mo (9), whereas survival is estimated to be 10 mo for the lymphomatous and 8 mo for the acute subtype, respectively (9). Of HTLV-1–infected patients, 0.25 to 3.8% develop HAM/TSP.

How does HTLV-1 affect the body?

HTLV-I infection may be associated with systemic symptoms such as pulmonary alveolitis, inflammation of the eye (uveitis), joints (arthritis) and thyroid. Skin manifestations include dryness, scabies and infective dermatitis. Sicca syndrome, which is characterized by dryness of eye and mouth, is frequently observed.

What does HTLV do to the body?

Human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infects a type of white blood cell called a T-cell or T-lymphocyte. White blood cells are a type of cell that helps fight infection. HTLV is a type of retrovirus that can cause cancer. It is different than the retrovirus that causes AIDS .

Can HTLV be treated?

No treatments exist for acute or chronic HTLV infection. Antiretroviral agents have demonstrated the ability to inhibit HTLV replication, but there has been limited research in asymptomatic carriers of HTLV-1, in whom the proviral load is already typically low.