HTLV-I-associated T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in Israel

Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus Type I (HTLV-I)-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a relatively new clinical entity. The disease is endemic in southwestern Japan, the Caribbean basin, the southeastern United States and Africa. We report the identification of this disease in Israel and review previous cases of HTLV-I infection and ATL in this region. The disease was initially indolent and later clinically aggressive, characterized by hypercalcemia, osteolytic bone lesions, leukemic skin and organ infiltration and opportunistic infection.