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Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Infection and Ocular Manifestations in São Paulo, Brazil
Joyce Hisae Yamamoto, MD, PhD;
Aluisio Augusto Segurado, MD, PhD;
Carlos Eduardo Hirata, MD, PhD;
Marcos Wilson Sampaio, MD, PhD;
Eduardo Cunha Souza, MD, PhD;
Youko Nukui, MD, PhD;
Marcelo Cliquet, MD, PhD;
Amadeo Saéz-Alquézar, MSc;
Edilberto Olivalves, MD, PhD;
Manabu Mochizuki, MD, PhD
Arch Ophthalmol. 1999;117:513-517.
Objectives Although human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)–associated uveitis has been well recognized in Japan, related studies in Brazil are scarce. We performed a serologic survey for HTLV-1 infection among patients with uveitis and investigated the ocular findings in HTLV-1–asymptomatic carriers.
Methods One hundred ninety serum samples from patients with uveitis of determined (n=137) and undetermined origins (n=53) being examined at the Uveitis Service, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, underwent testing using HTLV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and discriminatory Western blots. One hundred five asymptomatic blood donors and/or their relatives who were seropositive for HTLV-1 (carrier group) and 105 age- and sex-paired blood donors who were seronegative for HTLV-1 (control group) underwent ocular evaluation. For the statistical analysis,  2 test was used.
Results Only 1 patient with uveitis was seropositive for HTLV-1, and she belonged to the group with uveitis of undetermined origin. Results of tear films were evaluated in 52 carriers. The prevalence of a decreased tear break-up time was significantly higher in the carrier compared with the control group (P=.02). Two carriers had keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Three of the 105 carriers exhibited mild uveitis (cells in the vitreous, retinal and choroidal infiltrates, retinal vasculitis, and bilateral pars planitis). Retinal pigmentary changes were found in both groups (no statistical difference).
Conclusions Early tear abnormalities may be present in asymptomatic carriers, and mild uveitis may be found among them. The relatively low seroprevalence of HTLV-1 in the Brazilian population made it difficult to establish the real importance of HTLV-1–associated uveitis among our patients with uveitis.
From the Departments of Ophthalmology (Drs Yamamoto, Hirata, Sampaio, Souza, and Olivalves) and Infectious Disease (Dr Segurado), the Laboratory of Transplant Immunology, Heart Institute (Dr Yamamoto), and the Discipline of Hematology and Hemotherapy (Drs Nukui and Cliquet) and the Division of Serology (Dr Saéz-Alquézar) of the Fundação Pró-Sangue Hemocentro de São Paulo, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Kurume, Kurume, Japan (Dr Mochizuki).
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Chorioretinitis With Late Pigmentary Changes in a Carrier of Human T-Lymphotropic Virus 1
Matsumura et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2007;125:1436-1436.
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