Sandbox: ATL
- Common risk factors in the development of adult T-cell leukemia among HTLV carriers include:
- Vertical transmission of HTLV infection during infancy
- Male sex
- Specific human leukocyte antigens such as:
- HLA-A 26
- HLA-B 4002
- HLA-B 4801
- Patients with a Strongyloides stercoralis co-infection
- An elevated soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels (> 500 U/ml)
- An elevated anti-HTLV-1 titer
- An elevated HTLV proviral load level (> 4 copies per 100 peripheral blood mononuclear cells)
- An elevated WBC count (> 9,000/μL)
- An elevated abnormal lymphocyte count
- A decreased level of anti-Tax reactivity