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[HTLV-I tax gene on the etiological identification of tropical spastic paraparesis. A clinical, serological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study in 72 patients].
- Source :
-
Revista medica de Chile [Rev Med Chil] 1999 Aug; Vol. 127 (8), pp. 945-52. - Publication Year :
- 1999
-
Abstract
- Background: Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) is an endemic disease in Chile. In most countries, only 50% of patients are seropositive to HTLV-I. However, new studies suggest that seronegative TSP is also associated with HTLV-I.<br />Aim: To describe clinical and virological features of seronegative patients with TSP.<br />Patients and Methods: Seventy two Chilean patients with TSP, studied by clinical, radiological and laboratory methods during 1998, are reported. The determination of antibodies to HTLV-I was accomplished by ELISA, immunofluorescence and Western-blot analysis. Polymerase chain reaction for tax and 5'Ltr genes was made using primers SK 43-44, LTR1 and LTR6.<br />Results: Thirty one patients were HTLV-I positive and 41 were negative. No clinical, radiological or laboratory differences were observed between both groups. In seropositive patients, tax and 5'ltr viral gene sequences of the HTLV-I provirus were detected in DNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In seronegative cases, sequences of tax gene were detected, exclusively, in 18 of 41 patients.<br />Conclusions: These results confirm an association with HTLV-I infection in 43.9% of the TSP seronegative patients. These findings support the hypothesis that a defective provirus infects peripheral blood mononuclear cells in seronegative cases of TSP. The importance tax gene in the diagnosis of the TSP is also emphasized.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Blotting, Western
DNA Viruses
Deltaretrovirus Antigens blood
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 isolation & purification
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Paraparesis, Spastic blood
Paraparesis, Spastic physiopathology
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Genes, pX
Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 genetics
Paraparesis, Spastic virology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- Spanish; Castilian
- ISSN :
- 0034-9887
- Volume :
- 127
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Revista medica de Chile
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 10752255