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  • Title: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I and neurologic disease in Panama, 1985 and 1986.
    Author: Gracia F, Reeves WC, Levine PH, Cuevas M, Castillo L, Chavarría R, Grimaldo V, Triana E, Arosemena JR, Blattner WA.
    Journal: Arch Neurol; 1990 Jun; 47(6):634-9. PubMed ID: 2346389.
    Abstract:
    Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) causes adult T-cell leukemia and has recently been associated with HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. The HTLV-I is endemic throughout the Caribbean basin and parts of South America, and HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis also seems to be common in this area. This 2-year study, 1985 and 1986, was designed to evaluate the occurrence of HTLV-I infection in all newly diagnosed cases of selected neurologic diseases in Panama City, Panama. Six (8%) of 71 patients had antibody to HTLV-I detected by immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, radioimmunoassay, and Western blot assays; 5 patients' conditions were diagnosed as spastic paraparesis, and all 5 were seropositive and also had HTLV-I antibody in cerebrospinal fluid. The remaining seropositive patient had multiple sclerosis, and no antibody was detected in her cerebrospinal fluid. Clinical and electrophysiologic studies indicated that HTLV-I-associated spastic paraparesis is a multifocal, primarily demyelinating disease that principally involves the spinal cord.
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