Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in the Inuit people of Nunavut

Dermatology in the North American Indian/Alaska Native population

Dermatology is greatly understudied in the American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) population. This topic deserves attention in light of the changing demographics of the United States and the healthcare disparities faced by AIAN, including access to dermatologic care. In this review, we discuss disorders that are more prevalent or otherwise important in the AIAN population, such as cutaneous malignancies, photodermatoses, acanthosis nigricans, connective tissue disorders, cutaneous infections, hypertrophic scar formation, and Heck's disease. We aim to provide an updated review and increase awareness of the dermatologic needs of the AIAN population.

Insights into origins of Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 based on new strains from aboriginal people of Canada

The causes of the worldwide distribution of Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) remain incompletely understood, with competing hypotheses regarding the number and timing of events leading to intercontinental spread on historical and prehistoric timescales. Ongoing discovery of this virus in aboriginal populations of Asia and the Americas has been the main source of evidence for the latter. We conducted molecular phylogenetic and dating analyses for 13 newly reported HTLV-1 strains from Canada. We analyzed two full-length proviral genomes from aboriginal residents of Nunavut (an autonomous territory in Northern Canada including most of the Canadian Arctic), 11 long-terminal-repeat (LTR) sequences from aboriginal residents of British Columbia's Pacific coast, and 2 LTR sequences from non-aboriginal Canadians. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a well-supported affinity between the two Nunavut strains and two East Asian strains, suggesting the presence of an Asian-American sublineage within the widespread "transcontinental" subgroup A clade of HTLV-1 Cosmopolitan subtype a. This putative sublineage was estimated to be 5400-11,900 years in age, consistent with a long-term presence of HTLV-1 in aboriginal populations of the Canadian Arctic. Phylogenetic affinities of the other 11 Canadian HTLV-1 aboriginal strains were diverse, strengthening earlier evidence for multiple incursions of this virus into coastal aboriginal populations of British Columbia. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis of ancient presence of HTLV-1 in aboriginal populations of North America.

Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma: First case report from Qatar

In what appears to be the first case of Adult T-cell Leukemia|Lymphoma (ATLL) reported in Qatar and Middle Eastern Arab countries, a 39-year-old lady presented first with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and hypercalcaemia and later showed the full picture of ATLL, splenomegaly leukocytosis, skin rash, and bone marrow infiltrations. She responded well to chemotherapy, with complete remission after four cycles of combination chemotherapy but the prognosis of patients with ATLL is poor. Although patients may respond initially to treatment with combination chemotherapy regimens devised for advanced, aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), relapses are common with a median survival of eight months and a four-year survival of 12 percent.

Human T-lymphotropic virus 1: recent knowledge about an ancient infection

Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) has infected human beings for thousands of years, but knowledge about the infection and its pathogenesis is only recently emerging. The virus can be transmitted from mother to child, through sexual contact, and through contaminated blood products. There are areas in Japan, sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and South America where more than 1% of the general population is infected. Although the majority of HTLV-1 carriers remain asymptomatic, the virus is associated with severe diseases that can be subdivided into three categories: neoplastic diseases (adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma), inflammatory syndromes (HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and uveitis among others), and opportunistic infections (including Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection and others). The understanding of the interaction between virus and host response has improved markedly, but there are still no clear surrogate markers for prognosis and there are few treatment options.