Saab Lea, DiCapua Daniel, Zubair Adeel S
Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 20 York Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, 20 York Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
J Neurol Sci. 2024 Apr 15;459:122973. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.122973. Epub 2024 Mar 19.
HTLV-1 is a retrovirus virus that infects CD4+ T cells. Most people with HTLV-1 infection remain asymptomatic but some may develop conditions such as HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) or adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. HAM/TSP is characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness of the lower extremities, as well as loss of bladder control and sensory disturbances. The risk of developing HAM/TSP is associated with the duration of infection and the proviral load. There is currently no cure for the disease but medications can help manage symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. This is the case of a 66-year-old female who presented with nonspecific symptoms of weakness and spasticity in a hospital in Connecticut and was subsequently diagnosed with HAM/TSP. The patient's diagnosis highlights the importance of considering diseases previously confined to specific endemic regions in a globalized world where increased emigration and population mixing can occur. Early identification and management of such cases is essential for optimizing patient outcomes and quality of life.
人类嗜T淋巴细胞病毒1型（HTLV-1）是一种感染CD4+ T细胞的逆转录病毒。大多数感染HTLV-1的人没有症状，但有些人可能会患上诸如HTLV-1相关脊髓病/热带痉挛性截瘫（HAM/TSP）或成人T细胞白血病/淋巴瘤等疾病。HAM/TSP的特征是下肢进行性痉挛和无力，以及膀胱控制能力丧失和感觉障碍。患HAM/TSP的风险与感染持续时间和前病毒载量有关。目前该疾病无法治愈，但药物可以帮助控制症状并减缓疾病进展。这是一名66岁女性的病例，她在康涅狄格州的一家医院出现了无力和痉挛等非特异性症状，随后被诊断为HAM/TSP。该患者的诊断凸显了在一个全球化的世界中考虑以前局限于特定流行地区的疾病的重要性，在这个世界中，移民增加和人口混合可能会发生。早期识别和管理此类病例对于优化患者预后和生活质量至关重要。
