Neurologic complications of HTLV-1: a review

Resumo

The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that infects about 20 million people worldwide and causes immune--mediated diseases of the nervous system. The classical neurological presentation of HTLV-1 infection is the so-called HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). However, HAM/TSP is not the only neurological outcome that can result from HTLV-1 infection. In this Review it is made an update on the many aspects of this important neurological condition, the HTLV-1 neurological complex