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IgG antibodies to human T-cell lymphotropic virus(HTLV-1)were found in 11 of 13(85%)Jamaican patients with idiopathic adult polymyositis.The association was first observed in 7 patients with polymyositis who were included in a control group of 100 patients with neurological and neuromuscular diseases in a serological investigation of the prevalence of HTLV-1 antibody in patients with tropical spastic paraparesis.All 7 patients with polymyositis were positive for the antibody by an enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay,confirmed by western blot.Because of this striking association a further 6 patients with polymyositis were identified and tested,4 of whom were also seropositive for HTLV-1 antibody. |
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