Western blot seroindeterminate individuals for Human T-lymphotropic Virus 1/2 (HTLV-1/2) in Fortaleza (Brazil): a serological and molecular diagnostic and epidemiological approach

How to handle Western blot (WB) seroindeterminate individuals for Human T-lymphotropic Virus 1/2 (HTLV-1/2) constitutes a challenge for blood banks and fam ilies. We made a cross-sectional study of 191 enzyme linked immunoassay (EIA) reactive individuals from the hematological center (HEMOCE) of Fortaleza (Brazil), examining their serological (WB) and molecular (PCR) diagnosis, and demographic profiles, as well as a possible association of their condition with other infectious pathologies and risk factors. Ethical institutional approval and personal consent were obtained. Out of 191 EIA reactive individuals, 118 were WB seroindeterminate and 73 were seropositive for HTLV-1/2. In the PCR analysis of 41 WB seroindeterminate individuals, 9 (22 percent) were positive and 32 (78 percent) were negative for HTLV-1/2. The demographic analysis indicated a trend towards a predominance of males among the seroindeterminate individuals and females in the seropositive ones. The seroindeterminate individuals were younger than the seropositive ones. We did not find any association of these conditions with syphilis, Chagas disease or HIV or hepatitis, and with risk factors such as breast-feeding, blood transfusion, STD (syphilis) and IDU

Neuropathology of two Brazilian autopsied cases of tropical spastic paraparesis / HTLV-I associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM) of long evolution

We report on a neuropathological analysis of two cases of TSP/HAM originating from Brazil. These two cases had, respectively, an evolution of 13 and 40 years. The main neuropathological findings consisted of spinal cord atrophy, mainly the lower thoracic cord, diffuse degeneration of the white and grey matter, rare foci of mononuclear and perivascular cuffs, and hyaline hardening of arteriolae. The supraspinal structures were normal, excepting for a slight gliosis in the cerebellum. An analysis on the long evolutive cases as described in the literature is outlined in this study

Paraparesia espástica tropical nos trópicos e Brasil: análise histórica / Tropical spastic paraparesis in Tropics and Brazil: historical analysis

A paraparesia espástica tropical (PET)é mielopatia crônica, observada predominantemente nos trópicos recentemente descoberta ser de origem retroviral (HTLV-I). O objetivo deste estudo foi delinear a evoluçäo histórica de sua descriçäo, denominaçöes e referências etiológicas. A análise histórica revelou que essa condiçäo teve diferentes denominaçöes e a descoberta de sua etiologia retroviral em parte dos casos abriu diversas linhas de investigaçöes e interesse epidemiológico, nos trópicos e no Brasil