HTLV-1-associated myelopathy in Spain.
Epidemiology
HTLV-1
Myelopathy
Prenatal screening
Sexually transmitted infections
Testing
Journal
Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology
ISSN: 1873-5967
Titre abrégé: J Clin Virol
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 9815671
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Historique:
received:
17
09
2023
revised:
27
10
2023
accepted:
18
11
2023
pubmed:
25
11
2023
medline:
25
11
2023
entrez:
24
11
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
HTLV-1 infection is a neglected disease. Over 10 million people are infected worldwide, with hot spots of high endemicity across all continents. Roughly 5% of HTLV-1 carriers develop HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM), a progressive subacute neurological disabling disease. We report the main features of patients diagnosed with HAM up to date in Spain, a non-endemic country with a relatively high migrant flow from Latin America and Equatorial Africa, where HTLV-1 is endemic. A total of 451 cases of HTLV-1 had been recorded in Spain until the end of year 2022. HAM had been diagnosed in 58 (12.9%). The current incidence is of 2-3 new cases per year. Women represent 76%. Mean age at diagnosis is 49 years-old. Nearly 60% are Latin Americans. Although sexual transmission is the most likely route of HTLV-1 acquisition, up to 6 individuals had been infected following solid organ transplantation. Rapid onset myelopathy developed in all but one of these transplant recipients from three HTLV-1-positive donors. HTLV-1 subtype 1a transcontinental was the only variant recognized in HAM patients. HTLV-1 proviral load was significantly greater in HAM patients than in asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (677 vs 104 HTLV-1 DNA copies/10 HAM is the most frequent clinical manifestation of HTLV-1 infection in Spain, a non-endemic country. Middle aged women migrants from Latin America are the most frequently affected. Two thirds end up in a wheelchair despite using antiretroviral therapy.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
HTLV-1 infection is a neglected disease. Over 10 million people are infected worldwide, with hot spots of high endemicity across all continents. Roughly 5% of HTLV-1 carriers develop HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM), a progressive subacute neurological disabling disease.
METHODS
METHODS
We report the main features of patients diagnosed with HAM up to date in Spain, a non-endemic country with a relatively high migrant flow from Latin America and Equatorial Africa, where HTLV-1 is endemic.
RESULTS
RESULTS
A total of 451 cases of HTLV-1 had been recorded in Spain until the end of year 2022. HAM had been diagnosed in 58 (12.9%). The current incidence is of 2-3 new cases per year. Women represent 76%. Mean age at diagnosis is 49 years-old. Nearly 60% are Latin Americans. Although sexual transmission is the most likely route of HTLV-1 acquisition, up to 6 individuals had been infected following solid organ transplantation. Rapid onset myelopathy developed in all but one of these transplant recipients from three HTLV-1-positive donors. HTLV-1 subtype 1a transcontinental was the only variant recognized in HAM patients. HTLV-1 proviral load was significantly greater in HAM patients than in asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (677 vs 104 HTLV-1 DNA copies/10
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
HAM is the most frequent clinical manifestation of HTLV-1 infection in Spain, a non-endemic country. Middle aged women migrants from Latin America are the most frequently affected. Two thirds end up in a wheelchair despite using antiretroviral therapy.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38000189
pii: S1386-6532(23)00242-1
doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2023.105619
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
105619Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.