[Familial form of tropical spastic paraparesis. Report of 4 families].

Abstract

We report eight patients with familial tropical spastic paraparesis belonging to four families. The diagnosis was reached by clinical, radiological and electrophysiological studies. Human lymphotropic virus type I infection was confirmed by ELISA, immunofluorescence essays. Western blot and polymerase chain reaction in DNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, using primers for tax and 5'ltr genes. In all these families there was a vertical transmission of the disease from the first to the second generation. All patients improved their spastic gait after prednisone treatment. Among patients of the second generation, all had dacrysialoadenitis, three had leukemia like lymphocytes in the blood smear, two had mycosis fungoides and one had hepatic cirrhosis.

• Authors: L Cartier, E Ramírez, H Galeno
• Journal: Revista medica de Chile (Rev Med Chil) Vol. 126 Issue 4 Pg. 419-26 (Apr 1998) ISSN: 0034-9887 [Print] Chile
• Vernacular Title: Forma familiar de la paraparesia espástica tropical: estudio de cuatro familias.
• PMID: 9699373 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• HTLV-I Antibodies

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• HTLV-I Antibodies (immunology)
• Human T-lymphotropic virus 1
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic (genetics, immunology, virology)