[HTLV-I in patients from Barcelona with connective tissue diseases, neurologic demyelinating diseases and lymphoproliferative syndromes].

The presence of antibodies against HTLV-I was investigated with ELISA and Western blot techniques in 76 patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes (n = 53), idiopathic subacute myelopathies (n = 4), chronic T-lymphocytosis (n = 3) and collagen vascular diseases (n = 16) diagnosed in the Barcelona area. 9 HIV seropositive patients were included: 7 with lymphoma, 1 with chronic T-lymphocytosis and 1 with polymyositis. Although 3 samples were repeatedly positive with ELISA, none was confirmed with Western blot. These results suggest that in our country, contrasting with areas where HTLV-I infection is endemic, acute and chronic lymphoproliferative diseases, collagen vascular diseases and demyelinating neurologic diseases are not associated with HTLV-I infection. The development of lymphoma in patients seropositive for HIV also could not be related with HTLV-I infection.