HTLV-1 antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in tropical spastic paraparesis in Brazil

Abstract

HTLV-l antibodies were investigated in serum and in CSF of 150 patients with neurologic disorders mainly myelopathies. The patients were considered into three groups according to the possible relationship of their disease to the presence of HTLV-l antibodies: no relationship risk (control group), occasional risk group, and possible risk group. In this latter are 56 patients with crural spastic paraparesis or paraplegia of unknown etiology (SP). HTLV-l antibodies were tested by the passive particle-agglutination method for anti-ATLA antibody detection. The search was negative in all patients of the control group, and positive (serum and/or CSF) in 16.5% of the patients from the second group and in 55.4% of the SP patients group. Clinical patterns in SP cases with HTLV-l antibodies were those of tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP). CSF patterns considered (cytology, protein content and gamma-globulins rate) were different between TSP group with HTLV-l antibodies in CSF and SP group with no HTLV-l antibodies detection either in serum or in CSF. The difference was significant. Results of this investigation confirm the high incidence of TSP in Brazil, and bring additional indication for searching HTLV-l antibodies in the CSF.