Clinical Presentation

Overview

While most people with HTLV-1 infection will remain asymptomatic, HTLV-1 can cause specific medical conditions. There is also evidence that some conditions may be more likely in those living with HTLV-1.

Further, there is strong evidence from populations outside Australia that HTLV-1 infection is associated with a 1.6 times increase in all-cause mortality not explained by these conditions known to be associated with HTLV-1.

While there are limited Australian data on the health outcomes associated with HTLV-1 infection, research on this topic is currently underway. The HTLV-1 virus found in Australia has evolved separately from other HTLV genotypes over a long time period and therefore may have differing health impacts.

There is some evidence that people with a higher proviral load have an increased risk of developing some HTLV-1-associated conditions. However, while research is currently underway to identify other indicative biomarkers, at present there is no method that can be applied in routine clinical practice to reliably determine which individual patients are at risk of developing HTLV-1-associated conditions.

References

McGregor S, Legrand N, Naruka E, Chacon GP. Review of current literature and evidence on human t-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection.: Kirby Institute; 2024.
Wang TT, Hirons A, Doerflinger M, Morris KV, Ledger S, Purcell DF, et al. Current state of therapeutics for HTLV-1. Viruses. 2024;16(10):1616.
World Health Organization. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1: technical report [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2021.
Lachowiez C, Cook RJ, Hayes-Lattin B, Maziarz RT, Borate U, Traer E, et al. Allogeneic transplantation outcomes amongst a contemporary cohort of high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia patients aged≥ 70 years. Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy. 2019;12(2):105-9.
Legrand N, McGregor S, Bull R, Bajis S, Valencia BM, Ronnachit A, et al. Clinical and public health implications of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2022;35(2):e00078-21.
Kamoi K, Mochizuki M. HTLV infection and the eye. Current opinion in ophthalmology. 2012;23(6):557-61.
Chew R, Henderson T, Aujla J, Whist E, Einsiedel L. Turning a blind eye: HTLV-1-associated uveitis in Indigenous adults from Central Australia. International ophthalmology. 2018;38:2159-62.
Kamoi K, Watanabe T, Uchimaru K, Okayama A, Kato S, Kawamata T, et al. Updates on HTLV-1 uveitis. Viruses. 2022;14(4):794.
Lee R, Schwartz RA. Human T-lymphotrophic virus type 1–associated infective dermatitis: A comprehensive review. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2011;64(1):152-60.
La Grenade L, Manns A, Fletcher V, Carberry C, Hanchard B, Maloney EM, et al. Clinical, pathologic, and immunologic features of human T-lymphotrophic virus type I–associated infective dermatitis in children. Archives of dermatology. 1998;134(4):439-44.
Oliveira, M.F.S.P.; Fatal, P.L.; Primo, J.; Silva, J.; Batista, E.; Farre, L. and Bittencourt A.L. Infective Dermatitis Associated with Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1: Evaluation of 42 Cases Observed in Bahia, Brazil. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2012;54(12):1714-9.

McGregor S, Legrand N, Naruka E, Chacon GP. Review of current literature and evidence on human t-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection.: Kirby Institute; 2024.

Wang TT, Hirons A, Doerflinger M, Morris KV, Ledger S, Purcell DF, et al. Current state of therapeutics for HTLV-1. Viruses. 2024;16(10):1616.

World Health Organization. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1: technical report [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2021.

Lachowiez C, Cook RJ, Hayes-Lattin B, Maziarz RT, Borate U, Traer E, et al. Allogeneic transplantation outcomes amongst a contemporary cohort of high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia patients aged≥ 70 years. Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy. 2019;12(2):105-9.

Legrand N, McGregor S, Bull R, Bajis S, Valencia BM, Ronnachit A, et al. Clinical and public health implications of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2022;35(2):e00078-21.

Kamoi K, Mochizuki M. HTLV infection and the eye. Current opinion in ophthalmology. 2012;23(6):557-61.

Chew R, Henderson T, Aujla J, Whist E, Einsiedel L. Turning a blind eye: HTLV-1-associated uveitis in Indigenous adults from Central Australia. International ophthalmology. 2018;38:2159-62.

Kamoi K, Watanabe T, Uchimaru K, Okayama A, Kato S, Kawamata T, et al. Updates on HTLV-1 uveitis. Viruses. 2022;14(4):794.

Lee R, Schwartz RA. Human T-lymphotrophic virus type 1–associated infective dermatitis: A comprehensive review. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2011;64(1):152-60.

La Grenade L, Manns A, Fletcher V, Carberry C, Hanchard B, Maloney EM, et al. Clinical, pathologic, and immunologic features of human T-lymphotrophic virus type I–associated infective dermatitis in children. Archives of dermatology. 1998;134(4):439-44.

Oliveira, M.F.S.P.; Fatal, P.L.; Primo, J.; Silva, J.; Batista, E.; Farre, L. and Bittencourt A.L. Infective Dermatitis Associated with Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1: Evaluation of 42 Cases Observed in Bahia, Brazil. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2012;54(12):1714-9.

Overview

References

Acknowledgement of Country