Abstract

DE LAS CASAS, César et al. Epidemiological aspects in patients with tropical spastic paraparesis associated to HTLV-1 infection in Lima, Peru. Rev Med Hered [online]. 1996, vol.7, n.2, pp.68-74. ISSN 1018-130X.

Objective: To define the epidemiological aspects of tropical spastic paraparesis associated with HTLV-1. Material and methods: This is a descriptive study of 61 consecutive patients with tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) associated with HTLV-1 infection in Peru seen at two reference centers in Lima between august 1989 and November 1995. All patients had serologic evidence of HTLV-1 infection measured with reactive ELISA test and confirmed positive Western Blot assays. Results and conclusions: The female-male ratio was 1.91:1. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 51.70 years (range: 21 to 76 years). A considerable proportion of patients (70.5%) had lived in Andean regions, basically due to their place of birth (54.1%). Only 6.6% of cases were referred from hospital of these regions, there were no intravenous drug addicts (IVDA) although 23.0% admitted transfusions. Sexually transmitted diseases were reported by 35% of males, in which lack of condom use was a common finding. Other possible risk factors also were studies. (Rev Med Hered 1996; 7: 68-74).

Keywords : HTLV-1; tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP); epidemiology; Perú.

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