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Association of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus and Myelodysplastic Syndrome in a Central European Population¹

L. Boltzmann Institute for Leukemia Research and Hematology [H. K., B. P., R. H.] and 3rd Medical Department [M. M., M. P., R. H.], Hanusch Hospital, A-1140 Vienna, Austria, and Waldheim Pharmazeutika Research and Development Laboratory, A-1091 Vienna, Austria [H. M.]

In addition to a few disorders such as acute T-cell leukemia that are typically associated with the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) 1 in endemic regions, this virus may also play a role in some other hematological diseases. Here, we examine the incidence of HTLV in hematological diseases from a nonendemic region in central Europe. Data obtained by PCR and/or serological techniques from a total of 730 cases showed that besides the expected presence of HTLV-1 in T-lymphoid diseases (2 of 27 cases), HTLV-1 was only detected in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), in which an incidence of 17% (11 of 65 cases) was found. A correlation with a history of multiple transfusions or treatment with blood products in the HTLV-1-positive MDS could not be ascertained. Cytogenetics detected the presence of del(5)(q) in six HTLV-positive cases (five MDS and one T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia) but in only one HTLV-negative case. These data indicate that allelic deletions of a series of 5q-located genes that typically occur in MDS may be associated with HTLV infections in central Europe.

¹ This work was supported by the Jubiläumsfonds der Österreichischen Nationalbank (Project No. 5179 and 6340) and by the Austrian Ministry of Health.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at L. Boltzmann Institute for Leukemia Research and Hematology, Hanusch Hospital, Heinrich Collinstrasse 30, A-1140 Vienna, Austria. Phone: 43-1-91021-2346; Fax: 43-1-914-3214.

Received 7/ 7/97. Accepted 9/19/97.