Htlv: what it is, how to identify symptoms and treat infection

HTLV, also called human T-cell lymphotropic virus, is a type of virus in the Retroviridae family and, in most cases, does not cause disease or symptoms, being underdiagnosed. So far, there is no specific treatment, hence the importance of prevention and medical monitoring.

There are two types of HTLV virus, HTLV 1 and 2, which can be differentiated by means of a small part of their structure and the cells they attack, in which HTLV-1 invades mainly CD4-type lymphocytes, while HTLV- 2 invades CD8-type lymphocytes.

This virus can be transmitted from person to person through unprotected sex or through the sharing of disposable materials, such as needles and syringes, for example, mainly among injecting drug users, just as there can also be transmission from the infected mother to the newborn and breastfeeding.

Main symptoms

Most people with the HTLV virus do not show signs or symptoms, and this virus is discovered in routine tests. However, although it is not frequent, some people infected with the HTLV-1 virus show signs and symptoms that vary according to the disease caused by the virus, and there may be neurological or hematological impairment:

• In the case of tropical spastic paraparesis, the symptoms caused by HTLV-1 take time to appear, but it is characterized by neurological symptoms that can result in difficulty in walking or moving a limb, muscle spasms and imbalance, for example . T cells, the symptoms of HTLV-1 infection are haematological, with high fever, cold sweat, weight loss without apparent cause, anemia, the appearance of purple spots on the skin and low concentration of platelets in the blood.

In addition, infection by the HTLV-1 virus can be associated with other diseases, such as polio, polyarthritis, uveitis and dermatitis, depending on how the person's immune system is and where the infection occurs. The HTLV-2 virus so far is not associated with any type of infection, however, it can cause symptoms similar to those caused by the HTLV-1 virus.

The transmission of this virus happens mainly through unprotected sexual intercourse, but it can also happen through blood transfusion, sharing contaminated products, or from the mother to the child through breastfeeding or during childbirth. Thus, people who have an early and active sexual life, who have sexually transmitted inflammatory infections or who need or perform several transfusions, are at greater risk of being infected or transmitting the HTLV virus.

How the treatment is done

Treatment for HTLV virus infection is not yet well established due to the virus's low probability of causing disease and, consequently, signs or symptoms. In the event that the HTLV-1 virus causes paraparesis, physical therapy may be recommended to maintain limb mobility and stimulate muscle strength, in addition to medications that control muscle spasms and relieve pain.

In the case of T-cell leukemia, the indicated treatment may be chemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplantation.

As there is no treatment, it is important that people who are diagnosed with the HTLV virus are monitored periodically by means of tests to check the reproductive capacity of the virus and the probabilities of viral transmission.

Although there is no targeted treatment for the HTLV virus, rapid diagnosis of the infection is important so that treatment can be started quickly so that a more appropriate treatment can be established according to the compromise caused by the virus.

How to avoid HTLV infection

The prevention of HTLV infection can be done through the use of condoms during sexual intercourse, absence of sharing disposable materials, such as syringes and needles, for example. In addition, the person carrying the HTLV virus cannot donate blood or organs and, if the woman carries the virus, breast-feeding is contraindicated, as the virus can be transmitted to the child. In such cases, the use of infant formula is recommended.

Diagnosis of HTLV

The diagnosis of the HTLV virus is made by serological and molecular means, and the ELISA test is normally performed and, if positive, confirmation is made using the Western blot method. False negative results are rare, as the method used to detect the virus is very sensitive and specific.

In order to make the diagnosis of the presence of this virus in the body, a small blood sample is usually collected from the person, which is sent to the laboratory, where tests will be carried out in order to identify antibodies produced by the body against this virus.

Are HTLV and HIV the same thing?

The HTLV and HIV viruses, despite invading the body's white cells, lymphocytes, are not the same thing. The HTLV virus and HIV have in common the fact that they are retroviruses and have the same form of transmission, however the HTLV virus is not capable of becoming an HIV virus or of causing AIDS. Learn more about the HIV virus.