Infective dermatitis associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1: evaluation of 42 cases observed in Bahia, Brazil.

Background: Infective dermatitis associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1; IDH) is a chronic recurrent eczema affecting HTLV-1-infected children. The epidemiological and dermatological characteristics of IDH are described, and their principal diagnostic criteria are reevaluated.

Methods: Forty-two patients were included: 40 patients serologically positive for HTLV-1 and 2 seronegative patients who tested positive in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays.

Flower cells in patients with infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1.

Background: Infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1 (IDH) is a severe childhood form of eczema that may progress to adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL).

Objective: In this study, the presence of clinical and laboratory parameters suggestive of ATL was evaluated in a cohort of 30 patients with IDH.

Study Design: Over a period of 33 months, the patients were submitted to three-monthly clinical evaluations, routine laboratory exams, full blood count and blood smears, and to six-monthly blood sampling for HTLV-1 proviral load determination.