Fiocruz webinar on November 30th addresses the HTLV virus

Between 5 and 10 million people. This is the estimate, according to the United Nations (UN), of people infected by HTLV-1 or Human T-cell lymphotropic virus in the world. According to Fiocruz, the regions with the highest prevalence are Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as Japan and Australia. But data on the disease is underreported, and the virus is still little known both amongst the population and health professionals.

To expand access to knowledge about the virus, on November 30th, experts from Fiocruz, the Ministry of Health (Brazil), Johns Hopkins Hospital and the National Institute of Health (USA) will participate in the webinar Human T cells Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV): the silent threat and its neurological manifestations organised by the Vice-Presidency of Education, Information and Communication (VPEIC/Fiocruz) and Fiocruz Pernambuco, through the Fiocruz Hub, in partnership with The Global Health Network. The event takes place via the Zoom platform, at 10:00 (Brasília/Buenos Aires) and 13:00 (London) and will have simultaneous translation into English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Registration is available until the event starts and can be done here.

About HTLV

The HTLV virus has no vaccine available yet, nor specific medication for treatment. When infected, a person can develop serious forms of the disease, such as cancer and neurological disorders. The main forms of infection are unprotected sexual intercourse, shared use of needles and syringes, blood, and organ transfusions, and from mother to child, during pregnancy, childbirth and/or breastfeeding.

Since 2018, researchers, healthcare professionals and patient associations around the world have come together to spread knowledge about HTLV. November is a month dedicated to increasing the visibility of the disease, with 10/11 being considered World Day to Combat the HTLV Virus. This webinar is one of the actions to promote the subject worldwide and combat the virus.

Check out the agenda and names of the speakers:

Chair

• Augusto César Penalva de Oliveira - Supervising Physician, Neurology Medical Team, Emílio Ribas Infectious Diseases Institute, Brazil.

Speakers

• Steven Jacobson - Senior Investigator, Viral Immunology Section, Neuroimmunology and Neurovirology Division (NND), National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA.
• Lucia Brito - Neurophysiologist, Reference Center for the Care of Patients with Demyelinating Diseases, Restauração Hospital, Ministry of Health, Brazil.
• Carlos Pardo - Director, Johns Hopkins Myelitis & Myelopathy Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
• Clarice N. Lins de Morais – Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Virology and Experimental Therapy, Fiocruz Pernambuco, Fiocruz, Brazil.
• Cristiane Campello Bresani – Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Virology and Experimental Therapy, Fiocruz Pernambuco, Fiocruz, Brazil.

Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions
• HTLV and the human host: a long-standing interaction
• Neurological manifestations of HTLV infection
• Other neurologic manifestations of HTLV
• Techniques and Challenges in the Laboratory Diagnosis of HTLV Infection
• Interactive session with discussion and Q&A
• Closing remarks