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Study Title:

Inflammatory manifestations of HTLV-1 and their therapeutic options.

Study Abstract

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is one of the most intriguing retroviruses infecting humans. Most commonly, infection remains undetected, since it does not cause obvious harm, yet in 4-9% of patients, this infection can be devastating, causing adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and/or HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). This review concentrates on all inflammatory aspects of HTLV-1 infection: HAM/TSP, HTLV-1 associated uveitis, HTLV-1 associated conjunctivitis, sicca syndrome and interstitial keratitis, HTLV-1 associated Sjögren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease, HTLV-1 associated pulmonary disease, infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1, HTLV-1 associated inflammatory myositis and HTLV-1 associated arthritis. With the exception of HAM/TSP treatment, studies of these conditions are sparse and even for HAM/TSP, the level of evidence is limited. While control or elimination of infection remains a goal, most therapy beyond symptomatic management is directed at the immune response to HTLV-1.

Study Information

Martin F, Taylor GP, Jacobson S.
Inflammatory manifestations of HTLV-1 and their therapeutic options.
Expert Rev Clin Immunol.
2014 November
Department of Biology, Hull and York Medical School, Center for Immunology and Infection, University of York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Full Study

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25340428