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Sexually Transmitted DiseasesHuman T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV)The human T-cell lymphotropic viruses (retroviruses), HTLV-I and HTLV-II, are becoming more common in the U.S. population. They appear to be most prevalent among IV drug users and persons who have multiple sex partners, genital ulcers, or a history of syphilis. The virus can be transmitted by blood or intimate sexual contact, and can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy and through breast milk.Most infected persons remain healthy carriers of the virus. In certain instances, HTLV-I has been linked to adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), a rare and aggressive cancer of the blood. Infected persons also may develop myelopathy, a neurologic disorder that affects the muscles in the legs. In addition, researchers think that HTLV-I plays a role in the development of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. HTLV-II can cause another rare cancer called hairy-cell leukemia. Blood donations are screened routinely for HTLV-I. Because lab tests cannot easily distinguish between HTLV-I and HTLV-II, experts believe many cases of HTLV-II are eliminated from the blood supply as well.
This information is excerpted from public documents available at
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