Conhecendo o HTLV e suas implicações no atendimento odontológico / Getting to know HTLV and their implications during dental care

Os virus T linfotropicos humanos representam um grupo de retrovirus que possuem tropismo por linfocitos T e sao transmitidos pelas vias parenteral, vertical e sexual. Foram identificados os tipos 1, 2, 3 e 4 sendo que o virus T linfotropicos humanos -1 tem sido o mais associado ao desenvolvimento de doencas nos pacientes infectados. A estimativa global e de que 15 a 20 milhoes de pessoas estejam infectadas pelo virus T linfotropicos humanos -1. No Brasil o virus e endemico, apresentando o maior numero absoluto de casos no mundo e sendo incluido na triagem hematologica realizada nos hemocentros. As principais doencas associadas ao virus T linfotropicos humanos -1 sao a leucemia/linfoma de celulas T do adulto e a paraparesia espastica tropical. A unica manifestacao bucal associada ao virus T linfotropicos humanos e o linfoma de celulas T do adulto, sendo que alguns autores apontam para a possibilidade de pacientes com paraparesia espastica tropical tambem apresentarem a sindrome de Sjogren relacionada a infeccao pelo virus. O fato de o virus T linfotropicos humanos ser um virus contagioso e com capacidade oncogenica requer a atencao do cirurgiao-dentista tanto no manejo odontologico quanto no diagnostico de possiveis doencas associadas. Termos de indexacao : Manifestacoes bucais. Paraparesia tropical espastica. Virus linfotropico de celulas T humanas tipo 1. ABSTRACT The human T-lymphotropic viruses represent a group of retroviruses that possess tropism for T lymphocytes and are transmitted parenterally, vertically and sexually. Four types have been identified, 1, 2, 3 and 4. Type 1 has been most frequently associated with disease in infected individuals. It is estimated that 15 to 20 million people are affected by human T-lymphotropic virus type 1. In Brazil, the virus is endemic, presenting the greatest absolute number of cases in the world and included in blood bank screening tests. The main diseases associated with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 are adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and tropical spastic paraparesis. The only oral manifestation associated with human T-lymphotropic virus is adult T-cell lymphoma. Some authors believe it is possible for some patients with tropical spastic paraparesis to also present virus-related Sjogren’s syndrome. Since human T-lymphotropic virus is contagious and potentially oncogenic, it demands attention from the dental surgeon not only for dental management but also for diagnosing associated diseases. Indexing terms : Oral Manifestations. Paraparesis tropical spastic. Human T-lymphotropic virus 1.