10 Nov 2021
World HTLV Day puts the spotlight on an insidious virus
Today is World HTLV Day, a day that focuses our minds on this neglected and insidious virus which, like other blood born- sexually transmitted infections, predominantly targets the most vulnerable people.
HTLV-1, the Human T-cell lymphtrophic virus, affects up to 10 million people worldwide and is endemic in remote Aboriginal and resource poor communities.
Yet it remains a virus few people have heard of.
Earlier this year, following years of advocacy by international researchers, The World Health Organization (WHO) classified HTLV-1 as Threatening Pathogen to Humans.
From a similar family of viruses as HIV, infection can lead to neurological diseases and blood cancers. While infection does not deplete the white blood cells where it replicates, it suppresses the protective activity of the immune system. How this works needs further study.
There is no vaccine, treatment or cure.
University of Melbourne Professor Damian Purcell, Theme Leader for viral infectious diseases at the Doherty Institute, was one of the signatories to the original letter and a member of the GVNs HTLV-1 Task Force. He said in April that the new classification would help shed light on the situation and encourage proactive steps towards combating the virus.
“There’s an opportunity to prevent transmission of HTLV-1, but it was not even on the table in Australia or globally as a major issue,” Professor Purcell said.
“Thanks to global investment and public health interventions, great advances have been made in the fight against HIV-1 and we need the same approach to be applied to HTLV-1.
“We believe this new classification of the virus by the WHO will encourage research to develop effective treatments and preventive vaccines. Recognition of this medical-need should influence investors to focus their attention and funding in support of HTLV-1 eradication”.
HTLV22
In May Australia will host the 20th International Retrovirology Conference (HTLV22) virtually, and Professor Purcell is a co-convenor.
“This is a critical opportunity for leading national and international experts to join the growing community of patient advocates, clinicians and scientist working towards the elimination of HTLV,” he said of the conference.
He describes HTLV as an ancient viral scourge that establishes lifelong infection of the immune system.
“HTLV infection causes defective immune function and decreases lifespan through a broad spectrum of associated diseases,” he said. “The fight against COVID, the newest viral challenge to human health, has proven that vaccines and antiviral drugs and immune modifiers can prevent viral transmission and the slowly progressing disease.
“It is time to shine a new light on this old virus disease. World HTLV Day is a chance to ignite the resources and resolve of medical research and the community response towards developing public health measures, better diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments needed to achieve the eventual elimination of this preventable heath burden."
Australia is taking up the challenge by hosting the forthcoming international HTLV conference. The world’s leading HTLV experts will meet to share their latest progress seeking to re-double their efforts to solve this vastly complex endemic virus.
Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for the HTLV22. To encourage the broadest participation possible in the conference there are a range of registration categories. Click on the conference website to view the registration types and rates.
Early Bird Registration Deadline: 23 January 2022
HTLV22 is being designed to be as accessible as possible for wider participation to suit the varying time zones around the globe. More information on the program format will be available soon.
Standard Registration Deadline: 24 April 2022.