Comparative Study of ATL and HTLV-I Related Diseases

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HTLV-I is a retrovirus associated with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), spastic paraplegia (HAM/TSP), HTLV-I uveitis and possibly other diseases.Seroepidimiological studies have been shown distinct geographic endemic clusters of HTLV-I infection and its associated diseases in Southwestern Japan, the Caribbean Basin, South and Central America and Central Africa.Although the actual incidence of HTLV-I carriers in Asia and Central America is difficult to assess, and values of 0% to 37% have been reported.Results : (1) Costa Rica : The subjects were 86 patients with various diseases and 25 blood donors in National Children's Hospital in San Jose and 64 psychiatric patients. Three out of 86 patients in hospital were positive for HTLV-I.All of them are female and black from Caribbean Coast. This area is highly endemic for HTLV-I.(Dr.Jose Bonilla)(2) Indonesia : The subjects were 500 patients with various diseases and 100 blood donors and 100 healthy volunteers at Kristen Indonesia University Hospital. The only one case in this study was indeterminate for HTLV-I.It should be concluded that HTLV-I is not endemic in Jakarta. (Dr.Yunus Tanggo)(3) Miami (Florida) : The subjects were 40 patients with uveitis. All samples were negative for HTLV-I.(Dr.Janet Davis)(4) Egypt : We found two patients with HAM/TSP in the Neurology Department of Cairo University. Both patients were males (24,26 years old). (Dr.Ahmed Gohary)