Human Leukemia Virus HTLV: An Overview

Abstract

The human leukemia virus HTLV-1 is caused by an oncogenic retrovirus responsible for adult T cell leucemia associated with tropical myelopathy/paraparesis. The mode of transmission of the HTLV-1 virus from one individual to another occurs by following three routes namely: vertical i.e. from mother to child by breastfeeding, sexually and intravenously on contact with blood-contaminated objects. In Africa, the disease remains little known and is endemic in the tropical region of Africa. This review presents the origin of the virus, the molecular aspects as well as the molecules involved in the penetration of the virus into the host cell, the genomic structure. Whatever epidemiological and prevalence data from certain studies carried out in Africa on the human leukemia virus are included in this work.