NEUROLOGIC/IMMUNOLOGIC MANIFESTATION OF HTLV-I INFECTION

描述(改编自应用程序摘要)：人类T细胞 嗜淋巴病毒I型(HTLV-I)感染导致热带痉挛 截瘫/HTLV-I相关性脊髓病(TSP/HAM)，经性传播， 非肠道或围产期感染，是许多人的主要公共卫生问题 世界上的一些地方。性获得性感染HTLV-I的早期自然病史 年轻人中的感染在很大程度上仍未确定。候选人的前一次 对秘鲁女性性工作者(FSW)的研究得出了两项重要发现。 第一，性行为女性宫颈频繁脱落HTLV-I型DNA 获得性HTLV-I感染以及与宫颈 随性传播疾病的存在而脱落的HTLV-I型DNA，以及 发现了年龄较小的。第二，盲目的、计算机辅助的定量 痉挛评估显示平均痉挛程度显著更高。 感染HTLV-I的无症状FSW得分高于未感染的FSW 控制。拟议研究的具体目标是：(1)定义临床 和早期HTLV-I感染的病毒学特征，(2)确定决定因素 宫颈阴道分泌物HTLV-I的脱落及其在人类免疫缺陷中的潜在作用 性传播，以及(3)定义病毒学和免疫学 与亚临床痉挛和TSP/HAM相关。

DESCRIPTION (adapted from the application's abstract): Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection causes tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM), is transmitted sexually, parenterally, or perinatally, and is a major public health problem in many parts of the world. The early natural history of sexually acquired HTLV-I infection in young adults remains largely undefined. The candidate's previous studies of female sex workers (FSW) in Peru yielded 2 important findings. First, frequent cervical shedding of HTLV-I DNA among women with sexually acquired HTLV-I infection, as well as a strong association of cervical shedding of HTLV-I DNA with the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, and with young age were found. Second, a blinded, computer assisted quantitative spasticity assessment demonstrated a significantly higher mean spasticity score among asymptomatic FSW with HTLV-I infection, than among uninfected controls. The specific aims of the proposed study are to (1) define clinical and virological features of early HTLV-I infection, (2) to define determinants of cervico-vaginal HTLV-I shedding and the potential role of shedding in sexual transmission, and (3) to define virological and immunological correlates associated with subclinical spasticity and TSP/HAM.