Can you die from HTLV?
Yes, an HTLV infection can be fatal. However, not everyone who gets the virus dies. An infection with the HTLV virus is linked to conditions like:
- T-cell leukemia [1],
- HTLV-associated myelopathy [1],
- HTLV-associated uveitis [2],
- severe immunosuppression [3].
These conditions are assimilated with higher rates of deaths among the infected people [4, 5, 3].
What is HTLV?
HTLV stands for human T-lymphotropic virus, which belongs to the retrovirus family. It is also an oncovirus, as its infections cause immunosuppression and potentially oncological disease [6].
The most important type of HTLV is the type 1. It is one of the significant oncogenic pathogens in humans [6].
HTLV belongs to retroviruses, and thus, it integrates its genetic information into the host's DNA [7, 2], making it oncogenic.
Other types of HTLV include types 2,3 and 4. Type 2 is not oncogenic. Types 3 and 4 account for a minority of cases of HTLV infections [8].
Where does HTLV occur?
HTLV does not occur everywhere in the world. The occurrence of HTLV focuses on specific regions, called endemic areas. In these areas, the virus is found in the population.
The endemic areas for HTLV include:
- Japan – southern parts of the country and northern Kyushu mainland [9],
- Taiwan [9],
- Ryukyu Archipelago [9],
- Caribbean region, like Dominica island [10],
- tropical Africa [11],
- Iran – in areas of Mashhad and Sabzevar [12],
- Melanesia [11],
- Amazona region in Brazil [13],
- Panama [14],
- Peru [15].
What symptoms can HTLV cause?
HTLV infection can cause many various conditions. The most severe is T-cell leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells [1].
It can also cause HTLV-associated myelopathy and tropical spastic paraparesis, where it affects the spinal cord leading to immobility of the legs [1, 7].
An HTLV infection can also lead to inflammatory conditions such as uveitis and arthritis. Uveitis is an inflammation of the part of the eye, while arthritis is inflammation of the joints [7, 16, 2].
In some cases, HTLV has been associated with Sjogren's syndrome, characterized by dry mouth and eyes [16, 17].
HTLV is also linked to conditions such as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, interstitial keratitis, and Graves' disease [7, 2].
Additionally, HTLV can lead to chronic respiratory diseases, lymphadenitis, and inflammation of the skin [4].
People infected with HVLT have an increased risk of getting tuberculosis and leprosy [7].
How does HTLV spread?
The human T-lymphotropic virus can spread via multiple mechanisms. One of them is the so-called vertical transmission from the mother to the child, which is one of the main ways this pathogen spreads in endemic areas [18, 19].
Mothers can also give the virus to their children via milk [20].
Another common route of HTLV transmission is sexual contact. It is the dominant method of transmission, especially between men and women [18, 13, 21].
HTLV can also be contracted when receiving an infected blood transfusion [19].
What are the symptoms and treatment of HTLV?
Symptoms in HTLV
Host infection by HTLV remains undetected. However, in under 10% of people affected by the virus, the infection leads to serious health problems [22].
The symptoms of HTLV infection depend on the kind of disease it causes. They can include:
- weakness and paralysis of the lower extremities [23],
- lymphadenopathy,
- sensory disturbance [24],
- problems with vision [25],
- joint pain and numbness [26],
- skin inflammation [23].
Treatment of HTLV
Currently, there is no cure for the HTLV virus infection. However, therapy is available that slows down the progress of many diseases [24, 27].
For instance, HTLV-associated myelopathy can be managed by corticosteroids [25, 27].
In some cases, antiviral drugs that are used against the HIV virus can also slow down the replication of the HTLV [27].