HTLV-1 infection: An emerging risk. Pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis and associated diseases.

HTLV-1 infection: An emerging risk. Pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis and associated diseases. Rev Esp Quimioter. 2019 Oct 25;: Authors: Eusebio-Ponce E, Anguita E, Paulino-Ramirez R, Candel FJ Abstract The Human T-Lymphotropic Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) affects up to 10 million people worldwide. It is directly associated to one of the most aggressive T cell malignancies: Adult T Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma (ATLL) and a progressive neurological disorder, Tropical Spastic Paraparesis/ HTLV-1 Associated Myelopathy (TSP/HAM). Also, infected patients tend to have more severe forms of infectious diseases such as Strongyloidiasis and Tuberculosis. HTLV spreads through parenteral, sexual, and vertical (mother-to-child) routes. Effective viral transmission is produced mainly by cell to cell mechanism, unlike other retroviruses such as HIV, which usually spread infecting cells in a cell-free form. HTLV also has a peculiar distribution, with clusters of high endemicity in nearby areas of very low prevalence or absence of the virus. This could be explained by factors including a possible founder effect, the predominance of mother to child transmission and the cell-to-cell trans-mission mechanisms. More data on viral epidemiology are needed in order to develop strategies in endemic areas aimed at reducing viral dissemination. In this review, we critically analyze HTLV-1 pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, associated diseases, preventive strategies,...
Source: Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Rev Esp Quimioter Source Type: research