Guardian: 'People are scared': the fight against a deadly virus [HTLV-1] no one has heard of

[Andy]

An Aboriginal woman – we’ll call her B – is sitting in a dry creek bed outside her community and telling the world “this is a very bad disease. But we have to talk in a way not to shame people. Not telling them straight out. Telling them gently and quietly.”

B is talking about a sickness that has killed her family member and is a potential tragedy facing Aboriginal communities in central Australia, who have the world’s highest rates of a fatal, human immune virus for which there is no current cure, no treatment and no coordinated public health response.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusion and from mother to child by breastfeeding. It can cause a rapidly fatal form of leukaemia. Some people die within weeks of diagnosis. HTLV-1 also causes inflammation of the spinal cord leading to paralysis, severe lung disease known as bronchiectasis and other inflammatory disease.

In five communities around Alice Springs, more than 45% of adults tested have the virus, a rate thousands of times higher than for non-Indigenous Australians.

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ht-against-a-deadly-virus-no-one-has-heard-of

 

[adambeyoncelowe]

Wow. This is so terrible. I hope Australia doesn't wait until it becomes a pandemic before acting.

 

[Gingergrrl]

Is there any known treatment for this virus? Does it respond to HIV medications?

 

[Skycloud]

Schinke is in a wheelchair these days.

“It’s caused a spinal cord injury for me, so I can speak from my own experience, but I’m interested to bring awareness. People say HTLV-1 exists but it doesn’t do anything … and they even say it to my face.” He gestures to his chair. “And I’m going OK, well maybe I’m just dreaming?

My bold. What is wrong with people that they do this?

The map showing greatest incidence is telling as to why it's neglected.

The Guardian has an international reach these days so I hope this article does some good.

 

[Lucibee]

This virus has been known about for a long time. Here's an article about it: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(07)70081-6/fulltext

 

[adambeyoncelowe]

Strangely enough, the MRC documents from Kew, which I was reading this morning, mention HTLV-II (not HTLV-I) in connection with ME. They say they're not related, of course. But it's interesting, given that this has just popped up here.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Wow. This is so terrible. I hope Australia doesn't wait until it becomes a pandemic before acting.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusion and from mother to child by breastfeeding.

The virus has likely been in Australia for as long as people have been in Australia...

Is there any known treatment for this virus? Does it respond to HIV medications?

Antiretroviral drugs have been shown to work in vitro, not sure about large clinical trials though. In any event, the key is to get the virus under control before the person develops lymphoma.