eMedicine Specialties > Neurology > Neurological Infections

Tropical Myeloneuropathies: Follow-up

Author: Eliad Culcea, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Neurology, Great Falls Clinic
Coauthor(s): Friedhelm Sandbrink, MD, Director EMG laboratory, Chief Chronic Pain Clinic, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center Washington DC
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jan 11, 2007

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Physical therapy with strengthening exercises may be of benefit.
  • Occupational therapy is indicated for upper limb functioning and can provide assistive devices.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • An important component in care of patients with TSP is prevention of infection with HTLV-1 virus. Several studies indicate that transmission of the HTLV-1 virus occurs through sexual or other intimate contact -- intrauterine, neonatal contact, perinatal exposure via breast milk, sharing of needles by drug abusers, and blood transfusion from infected persons. One study showed that transfusion of HTLV-1 antibody-positive blood causes seroconversion in 60% of recipients. Transfusion of plasma alone in humans did not result in seroconversion. Breastfeeding is contraindicated for mothers who are carriers of HTLV-1.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • TSP/HAM can be misdiagnosed as spinal multiple sclerosis (MS). HTLV-1 serum antibodies screen may be indicated in the initial workup of MS, especially when risk factors are present and symptoms are predominantly spinal.
 


More on Tropical Myeloneuropathies

Overview: Tropical Myeloneuropathies
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Tropical Myeloneuropathies
Treatment & Medication: Tropical Myeloneuropathies
Follow-up: Tropical Myeloneuropathies
Multimedia: Tropical Myeloneuropathies
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

tropical myeloneuropathy, tropical ataxic neuropathy, TAN, cassava, mantakassa, tropical spastic paraparesis, TSP, HTLV-1–associated myelopathy, HAM, upper motor neuron syndrome, sensory neuropathy

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Eliad Culcea, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Neurology, Great Falls Clinic
Eliad Culcea, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology and American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Friedhelm Sandbrink, MD, Director EMG laboratory, Chief Chronic Pain Clinic, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center Washington DC
Friedhelm Sandbrink, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and German Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Carmel Armon, MD, MHS, Professor of Neurology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Chief, Division of Neurology, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
Carmel Armon, MD, MHS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, American College of Physicians, American Epilepsy Society, American Medical Association, American Neurological Association, American Stroke Association, Massachusetts Medical Society, Movement Disorders Society, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Florian P Thomas, MD, MA, PhD, Drmed, Director, Spinal Cord Injury Unit, St Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Director, National MS Society Multiple Sclerosis Center; Associate Program Director, Professor, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Associate Professor, Institute for Molecular Virology, and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, St Louis University
Florian P Thomas, MD, MA, PhD, Drmed is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Paraplegia Society, and National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Matthew J Baker, MD, Consulting Staff, Collier Neurologic Specialists, Naples Community Hospital
Matthew J Baker, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Nicholas Y Lorenzo, MD, Chief Editor, eMedicine Neurology; Consulting Staff, Neurology Specialists and Consultants
Nicholas Y Lorenzo, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Neurology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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