[Cerebellar syndrome and peripheral neuropathy as manifestations of infection by HTLV-1 human T-cell lymphotropic virus].

INTRODUCTION: Type I human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I) is a retrovirus with affinity for CD4 cells. This infection may give rise to a broad spectrum of disorders including T-cell leucemia/lymphoma, the myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis complex (M/TSP), and to a lesser extent, uveitis, arthritis, polymyositis and peripheral neuropathy. M/TSP is a progressive, chronic myelopathy characterized by spasticity, hypereflexia, muscle weakness and sphincter disorders. Much less frequently it may precede, or give rise to, a cerebellar syndrome with ataxia and intention tremor.

CLINICAL CASE: We describe the case of a 13 year old adolescent girl who presented with a neurological syndrome which had started with tremor of the head and limbs, ataxia, dysmetria, frequent falls and sphincter disorders. During the two and a half years that she had had this illness she had developed spastic paraparesis of the legs and had repeated urinary infections. Serology of blood and CSF was positive for HTLV-I using the ELISA technique and confirmed by Western-blot. EMG showed predominantly axonal sensomotor neuropathy. A neurogenic bladder was detected on functional urodynamic studies. On MR there was moderate atrophy of the thoracic spinal cord and slight alterations of the subcortical white matter.

CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a cerebellar syndrome or neuropathy of uncertain origin, in endemic areas, should lead to the inclusion of HTLV-I infection in the differential diagnosis, even in the absence of pyramidal symptoms or defined M/TSP. Maternal seropositivity supports the hypothesis of mother-daughter transmission during lactation.