Journal
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
Volume 31, Issue 2, Pages 209-212Publisher
SPRINGER-VERLAG ITALIA SRL
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-009-0204-x
Keywords
HTLV-I; HAM/TSP; Childhood; Cognitive impairment
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Funding
- Italian Ministry of Health Ricerca Corrente
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HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic myelopathy, usually with adult-onset. Very few cases of childhood-onset have been described, most presenting with progressive paraparesis and sphincteric disturbances as in the adult form. Here we report a young male with childhood-onset of HAM/TSP and progressive cognitive and behavioral disturbances. A serological screening revealed HTLV-I infection, confirmed by Western Immunoblotting analysis. Molecular characterization of amplified HTLV-I proviral DNA has been performed both in the patient and his mother by LTR sequence analysis, and HLA genotype inheritance was evaluated. Our case indicates the possibility that cognitive dysfunctions may be one manifestation of HTLV-I infection in childhood.
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