Increased replication of HTLV‐I in HTLV‐I–associated myelopathy

Abstract

To estimate the replication of the human T‐cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV‐I) in patients with HTLV‐I‐associated myelopathy (HAM), or tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP), HTLV‐I DNA integrated into lymphocyte genomes was analyzed by Southern blot hybridization. HTLV‐I DNA was detected in 125 (82%) of 153 patients and most showed random integration. This incidence was much higher than the 29% found in asymtopmatic carriers. Therefore, HAM/TSP development is associated with a high level of HTLV‐I replication. In addition, lymphocytes from 3 patients with HAM/TSP showed monoclonal integration of HTLV‐I DNA, indicating adult T‐cell leukemia. Copyright © 1989 American Neurological Association