Human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) in Israeli patients and their family relatives and its transmission to rats.

We tested the possibility that lymphocytes, sera and saliva, obtained directly from healthy human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) carriers and patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) of Iranian Mashhadi origin, as well as lymphocytes from patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and their family relatives (MFR), may be infective. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), sera, PBMC cultured with phytohaemagglutinin A and phorbol myristate acetate, cell-free supernatant from these cultures, saliva cells and cell-free saliva were injected into adult WKA (n=107) and F344 (n=47) female rats. The appearance of anti-HTLV-1 antibodies in the rat sera was tested by particle agglutination assay and ELISA, and positive results were confirmed by western blot assay.

Variations in lymphocyte activation during exercise testing in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Several studies have shown that strenuous exercise induces changes in the immune system. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) is a marker of immune system activation and is known to increase in association with cardiac disease. The aim of the present study was to assess sIL-2R levels in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in conjunction with exercise testing.

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 in a seronegative B chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient.

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T cell leukemia and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. HTLV-1 infection in patients with B cell-type chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is rare and has been reported only in areas in which HTLV-1 is endemic. In the present study, we detected HTLV-1 proviral DNA by polymerase chain reaction, using tax primers, in peripheral blood lymphocytes from a B-CLL patient, an immigrant to Israel, where HTLV-1 infection is not endemic.