Chronic sensory neuronopathy associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I infection.

We described two patients with chronic sensory neuronopathy who had anti-HTLV-I antibody in serum and cerebrospinal fluid but no signs of myelopathy. A sural nerve specimen revealed severe degeneration of myelinated and unmyelinated axons. The second patient had subclinical Sjögren's syndrome suggestive of a possible link among human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), Sjögren's syndrome and sensory neuronopathy, respectively. The broad spectrum of neurologic disorders associated with HTLV-I infection now would include chronic sensory neuronopathy.