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

Shimazaki, Rie; Ueyama, Hidetsugu; Mori, Toshio; Mori, Miyuki; Fujimoto, Shin; Kumamoto, Toshihide; Tsuda, Tomiyasu

« Previous Next »Journal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume 194, Issue 1 , Pages 55-58, 15 February 2002

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

Rie Shimazaki
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Nishibeppu National Hospital, Oita, Japan
Hidetsugu Ueyama
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Toshio Mori
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Miyuki Mori
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Shin Fujimoto
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Toshihide Kumamoto
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-97-586-5814; fax: +81-97-549-6502
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan
Tomiyasu Tsuda
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Hasama 1-1, Oita 879-5593, Japan

Received 26 June 2001; received in revised form 8 October 2001; accepted 19 November 2001.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: HTLV-I, Sensory neuronopathy, HAM/TSP, Ganglionopathy, Sural nerve, Sjögren's syndrome