[Interstitial pneumonia in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 infection]

Pulmonary involvement has been demonstrated in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy (HAM/TSP) or with HTLV-1 uveitis. Pulmonary lesions in these patients are characterized by T-lymphocyte alveolitis. Interestingly, HLTV-1-infected cells were markedly increased in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) obtained from patients with HAM/TSP and those with HTLV-1 uveitis compared to asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers. Furthermore, the proportion of HTLV-1-infected cells was much higher in BALF than in peripheral blood. These results suggest that increased HTLV-1-infected cells play an important role in evolution of T-lymphocyte alveolitis associated with HTLV-1 infection.