Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-associated neuropathy

Abstract

Symptomatic peripheral neuropathy occurs in a small proportion of HTLV-1 infected patients. Peripheral manifestations are often masked by symptoms and signs of the tropical spastic myelopathy characteristic of the disease. Peripheral neuropathy is often characterized by alteration of small-fiber functions, with inflammatory lesions of peripheral nerves, sometimes associated with symptomatic polymyositis, which may occur in isolation in this setting.

Keywords: HTLV. tropical spastic paraparesis; MRI; electrodiagnostic; microvasculitis; myelopathy; nerve biopsy; peripheral neuropathy; small-fiber neuropathy.