Human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)1: When should infection be suspected?

Abstract

Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) infection has occurred for thousands of years. However, knowledge about this patho-genesis is recent. This virus is endemic worldwide. In Brazil it is present throughout the country, with different prevalence and about 2 5 million infected. Genetic and immunologic characteristics of the host are chiefly responsible for clinically associated manifestations which may be: neoplasic, inflammatory and infectious diseases. HTLV associated myelopathy (TSP/ HAM) and adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) stand out as the first diseases associated to this retrovirus. Further, several diseases have been correlated to this virus. This review updates epidemiologic, physiopathologic, therapeutic and diagnostic knowledge of HTLV. The purose is to orient suspicion of HTLV etiology and several clinically associated manifestations, which currenty are seldom correlated with this virus.