Retroviral (HTLV 1) Assoc Spinal Cord Infxn

Your Path

  • Retroviral (HTLV 1) Assoc Spinal Cord Infxn

Risk Factors

  • Spread sexually, vertically, via transfusion
  • Most prevalent in Caribbean, Central/South America, Japan

Symptoms

  • Most are asx
  • No problems w/opportunistic infxn like HIV
  • Long term risks include: T-cell leukemia-lymphoma

Physical Exam Findings

  • Spastic paraparesis/myelopathy→ unremitting, progressive neuro syndrome characterized by lower extrem weakness, spasticity, hyper-reflexia, gait probs, incontinence, neruopathic pain
  • No cognitive or cranial nerve involvement