Tropical spastic paraparesis
Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (TSP), also known as HTLV-1 Associated Myelopathy (HAM), is a neurological disorder that affects the spinal cord and is associated with the Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1).
Pronunciation
Tropical Spastic Paraparesis: /ˈtrɒpɪkəl spæˈstɪk pærəˈpɛrɪsɪs/ HTLV-1 Associated Myelopathy: /eɪtʃ tiː ɛl viː wʌn əˈsoʊʃieɪtɪd maɪəˈlɒpəθi/
Etymology
The term "Tropical Spastic Paraparesis" refers to the characteristic symptoms and geographical distribution of the disease. "Tropical" indicates that the disease is more prevalent in tropical regions, "spastic" refers to the increased muscle tone seen in the condition, and "paraparesis" means partial paralysis.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of TSP include weakness in the legs, spasticity, and a disturbed gait. Other symptoms may include urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and mild sensory disturbances.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of TSP is based on clinical symptoms, serological testing for HTLV-1 infection, and exclusion of other potential causes of myelopathy.
Treatment
There is currently no cure for TSP. Treatment is symptomatic and may include physiotherapy, antispasmodic drugs, and pain management.
Epidemiology
TSP is most common in certain tropical regions, including the Caribbean, South America, and Africa. However, it can occur anywhere in the world in people infected with HTLV-1.
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tropical spastic paraparesis
- Wikipedia's article - Tropical spastic paraparesis
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski