Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP): investigations
Written and reviewed by Dr Ibrahim Imam, Consultant Neurologist. Last reviewed .
Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP): investigations. HTLV-1 proviral load, HTLV-I Tax mRNA load, HTLV-1 antibodies. Fully referenced neurology checklist.
Blood tests
- HTLV-1 proviral load
- HTLV-I Tax mRNA load
- HTLV-1 antibodies
- Flower cells: atypical cells with hyperconvoluted nuclei
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
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Synonym
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References
- Zaninovic V. On the etiology of tropical spastic paraparesis and human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I-associated myelopathy. Int J Infect Dis 1999; 3:168-176.
- Oh U, Jacobson S. Treatment of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis: towards rational targeted therapy. Neurol Clin 2008; 26:781-797.
- Gessain A, Saal F, Gout O, et al. High human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I proviral DNA load with polyclonal integration in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of French West Indian, Guianese, and African patients with tropical spastic paraparesis. Blood 1990; 75:428-433.
- Morrison AA, Samudralwar RD, Berger JR. Rapidly progressive and relapsing myelitis with human T lymphotropic virus type 1: a case report and review of the literature. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2026; 13:e200570.
