Reducing the global burden of HTLV-1 infection: An agenda for research and action
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Elsevier B.V.
Abstract
Even though an estimated 10–20 million people worldwide are infected with the oncogenic retrovirus, human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), its epidemiology is poorly understood, and little effort has been made to reduce its prevalence. In response to this situation, the Global Virus Network launched a taskforce in 2014 to develop new methods of prevention and treatment of HTLV-1 infection and promote basic research. HTLV-1 is the etiological agent of two life-threatening diseases, adult T-cell leukemia and HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, for which no effective therapy is currently available. Although the modes of transmission of HTLV-1 resemble those of the more familiar HIV-1, routine diagnostic methods are generally unavailable to support the prevention of new infections. In the present article, the Taskforce proposes a series of actions to expand epidemiological studies; increase research on mechanisms of HTLV-1 persistence, replication and pathogenesis; discover effective treatments; and develop prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
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Htlv-1, Leukemia, Oncogene, Retrovirus, Vaccine, Advisory committees, Biomedical research, Cost of illness, Global health, Hiv infections, Htlv-i infections, Human t-lymphotropic virus 1, Humans, Leukemia-lymphoma, adult t-cell, Paraparesis, tropical spastic, Spinal cord diseases, Human immunodeficiency virus vaccine, Disease course, Disease transmission, Htlv-1 infection, Human, Human t cell leukemia virus, Pathogenesis, Prediction, Priority journal, Research priority, Review, T cell leukemia, Tropical spastic paraparesis, Advisory committee, Human immunodeficiency virus infection, Isolation and purification, Medical research, Spinal cord disease, Transmission, Virology