Abstract

ROMANELLI, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira; CARAMELLI, Paulo  and  PROIETTI, Anna Barbara de Freitas Carneiro. Human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)1: When should infection be suspected?. Rev. Assoc. Med. Bras. [online]. 2010, vol.56, n.3, pp. 340-347. ISSN 0104-4230.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-42302010000300021.

Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) infection has occurred for thousands of years. However, knowledge about this pathogenesis 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.

Keywords : HTLV-I Infections; HTLV-II Infections; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic.