Murex htlv 1 2

39 HTLV-1-infected subjects participated in this study, of which 20 were HTLV-1 carriers (HC) and 19 were diagnosed with HAM/TSP. 10 seronegative individuals (SN) not infected with HTLV-1 participated as controls. A pregnant woman, patients with other neurologic diseases not associated with HTLV-1, individuals coinfected with other pathogens, or patients on immunosuppressing drugs were excluded from this study. The diagnosis of HTLV-1 infection was established by ELISA (Murex HTLV-I+II, Abbot) and confirmed by Western blot (HTLV blot 2.4, Genelabs). Neurological involvement and motor dysfunction were determined by neurologic examination, evaluation of the expanded disability symptoms scale (EDSS), and determination of Osame's motor disability score (OMDS) [15 (link)]. Individuals with an OMDS and EDSS equal to 0 were considered HC. HAM/TSP diagnostic criteria were based on recommendations from an international consortium [15 (link)].

Antibody screening for HTLV-1/2 was performed by particle agglutination technique (SERODIA-HTLV-I, Fujirebio, Tokyo, Japan) and/or by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Murex HTLV-I+II, Abbott Laboratories Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina or HTLV I&II Ab v. ULTRA, Dia.Pro, Milan, Italy). Reactive samples were subjected to WB confirmation (HTLV blot 2.4, Genelabs Diagnostics, Science Park, Singapore). A WB was scored as HTLV-1 or HTLV-2 positive, untypeable, indeterminate, or negative according to the manufacturer’s criteria.
For molecular confirmation of indeterminate or HTLV-positive samples by WB, DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by column extraction (ADN PuriPrep-S kit, Highway^®, Inbio, Tandil, Argentina) and analyzed with ‘‘in-house’’ n-PCR for HTLV-1 and 2 pol and tax regions as previously described [19 (link),20 (link)]. PCR was considered positive when amplicons from at least one amplification reaction were clearly detectable following agarose gel analysis [11 (link)]. Samples with non-reactive results by PA or ELISA were also further confirmed by n-PCR in order to avoid misdiagnosis in patients on retroviral treatment (because of other infections) and immune-compromised patients.

This is a cross-sectional study with the purpose of evaluating the role of myeloid lineage cells (monocytes and macrophages) from HTLV-1 infected subjects. Participants included 45 HTLV-1 infected subjects, being 23 HTLV-1 carriers (HC), 22 patients diagnosed with HAM/TSP and 22 individuals not infected with HTLV-1 constituted the healthy subjects group (HS). Pregnant woman and individuals in use of immunosupressing drugs were excluded. The diagnosis of HTLV-1 infection was established by antibody detection by ELISA (Murex HTLV-I+II, Abbot, Dartford, UK) and confirmed by Western blot (HTLV blot 2.4, Genelabs. Singapore). Motor dysfunction and neurological involvement were determined by Osame's motor disability score (OMDS) [37] (link) and Expanded disability status scale (EDSS) [38] (link). Individuals with an OMDS and EDSS equal to 0 were considered HC. Patients with OMDS ≥1 and presence of specific antibodies against HTLV-1 in the cerebrospinal fluid were diagnosed with HAM/TSP.