Immunopathogenesis and neurological manifestations associated to HTLV-1 infection

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Anselmo Souza, Davi Tanajura, Cristina Toledo-Cornell, Silvane Santos, Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2012
• Subjects: HTLV-1; Resposta imune; HAM/TSP; Doença neurológica; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822012000500002; https://doaj.org/article/b9c0068059ba47ba80720edbf1532f7d

The human T lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) was the first human retrovirus identified. The virus is transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, sharing of contaminated needles or syringes and from mother to child, mainly through breastfeeding. In addition to the well-known association between HTLV-1 and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), several diseases and neurologic manifestations have been associated with the virus. This review was conducted through a PubMed search of the terms HTLV-1, immune response and neurological diseases. Emphasis was given to the most recent data regarding pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of HTLV-1 infection. The aim of the review is to analyze the immune response and the variety of neurological manifestations associated to HTLV-1 infection. A total of 102 articles were reviewed. The literature shows that a large percentage of HTLV-1 infected individuals have others neurological symptoms than HAM/TSP. Increased understanding of these numerous others clinical manifestations associated to the virus than adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and HAM/TSP has challenged the view that HTLV-1 is a low morbidity infection.