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An increasing spectrum of diseases has been shown to be associated with the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I(HTLV-I),most notably a chronic, progressive myelopathy termed HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and adult T-cell leukemia.HTLV-II is a close relative of HTLV-I and is structurally similar but molecularly distinct.This virus is endemic in American Indian populations and a high seroprevalence rate has been observed in intravenous drug abusers.Here,for the first time,we have identified a patient with a chronic,progressive neurological disease clinically indistinguishable from HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis from whom we have isolated and characterized HTLV-II in the absence of any other detectable human retrovirus.Antibodies to HTLV were detected in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid,with typical HTLV-II banding patterns on Western blots.HTLV-II viral sequences were detected in high copy number from peripheral lymphocytes by polymerase chain reaction techniques,and cloning and sequencing of this virus revealed a 99.5% homology with prototype HTLV-II.These results serve to alert the medical community to the possibility that in addition to HTLV-I,HTLV-II may be associated with a neurological disorder. |
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human T-lymphotropic virus type II(HTLV-II)
leg weakness,bilateral
MRI
MRI,abnormal
MRI,spinal cord
myelomalacia
myelopathy
neurologic disease
paraparesis
paraparesis,spastic
polymerase chain reaction
Western immunoblot test
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