Tropical spastic paresis

Tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) is an endemic disease of the nervous system in many tropical and subtropical countries. It is caused by chronic infection of human T-lymphocytic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Spinal cord inflammation. HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM), originally found in southern Japan, is the disease. Occult onset, slowly progressing, clinically with spastic paraplegia as the main manifestation. Anti-HTLV-1 antibodies were positive in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Glucocorticoid treatment has some effect.