TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood-onset HAM/TSP with progressive cognitive impairment
AU - Zorzi, Giovanna
AU - Mancuso, Roberta
AU - Nardocci, Nardo
AU - Farina, Laura
AU - Guerini, Franca Rosa
AU - Ferrante, Pasquale
PY - 2010/4
Y1 - 2010/4
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Childhood
KW - Cognitive impairment
KW - HAM/TSP
KW - HTLV-I
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77953539180&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1007/s10072-009-0204-x
DO - 10.1007/s10072-009-0204-x
M3 - Article
C2 - 20076981
AN - SCOPUS:77953539180
VL - 31
SP - 209
EP - 212
JO - Neurological Sciences
JF - Neurological Sciences
SN - 1590-1874
IS - 2
ER -