brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
HTLV 1–Associated Myelopathy Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM TSP)
Introduction
HTLV-1–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis is a slowly progressive disorder of the spinal cord caused by the human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1). The virus is spread through sexual contact, use of recreational injected drugs, exposure to blood, or breastfeeding. People have weakness, stiffness, and muscle spasms in the legs, making walking difficult, and many have urinary incontinence. To diagnose the disorder, doctors ask about possible exposure to the virus and do magnetic resonance imaging, a spinal tap, and blood tests. Medications, such as corticosteroids, may help, and spasms are treated with muscle relaxants. (See also Overview of Spinal Cord Disorders .) The human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) is similar to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. The HTLV-1 virus can cause certain kinds of HTLV-1 is transmitted through Sexual contact Use of recreational drugs that are injected into vein (intravenously) or skin Exposure to blood It can be transmitted from mother to child through breastfeeding. It is most common among sex workers, injection drug users, people undergoing hemodialysis, and people from certain areas such as those near the equator, southern Japan, and parts of South America. HTLV-1–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis is more common among women because HTLV-1 infection is more common among women. A similar disorder can result from infection with a similar virus, human T-lymphotropic virus 2 (HTLV-2). The virus resides in white blood cells. Because the cerebrospinal fluid contains white blood cells, the spinal cord can be damaged. Inflammation develops in the spinal cord and damages the pathways that carry signals about pain, temperature, and position up the spinal cord to the brain and those that carry signals from the brain down the spinal cord to muscles. Damage to the spinal cord results more from the body’s reaction to the virus than from the virus itself. 