Immunopathogenesis of human T cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy.

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis is a chronic progressive inflammatory neurological disease. Aspects of human T cell lymphotropic virus type I biology, host genetic susceptibility, and immune responses to this agent are important factors that are associated with disease progression. The use of novel immunological and molecular methods has improved our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms that are operative in human T cell lymphotropic virus type I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Co-existing high proviral loads and virus-specific CD8 T cells are important features of this disorder, in which a high cellular immune response continuously driven by this virus may contribute to the inflammatory process within central nervous system lesions in patients with this disease.