Our work in HTLV-1
Brief description
- ASHM has initiated work to support progress in understanding and responding to HTLV-1 in Australia.
- Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), shares some features of HIV; it is a retrovirus that causes a chronic infection; it is transmitted by sex, blood contact and from mother to child, and it causes damage to the immune system. However, unlike HIV it causes a much more diffuse range of disease, severe in some people and mild or even non-existent in many others with the infection. Its distribution around the world is highly focal, with very high prevalences in particular geographic locations and populations and very rare elsewhere. HTLV-1 is present at very high rates in some Aboriginal communities of central and northern Australia.
- Recent research has led to an increasing awareness in Australia of HTLV-1 and its impact. A group of clinicians and researchers have come together with a representative of central Australian Aboriginal communities to provide a forum for increasing awareness about HTLV-1, and guiding clinical, public health and community responses to the infection.
- With these goals, an initial round table meeting was held in conjunction with the Australasian HIV and AIDS Conference in Adelaide in November 2016. This meeting has now been convened annually. A working group was established to take forward outcomes from these meetings, which meets monthly.
Round Table 2016
- Agenda
- Read the Report back
- View the meeting Outcomes
Round Table 2017
- Agenda
- Read the Report back
- View the meeting Outcomes
Round Table 2018
- Agenda
- Read the Report back
- View the meeting Outcomes
Round Table 2019
- Agenda
- Read the Report back
Presentations and webinars
- View abstracts and recordings from the symposium on HTLV-1 held jointly between the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference and the Australasian Sexual Health Conference in Canberra, 7 November 2017
- View abstract, slides and recording of Professor Graham Taylor presenting on HTLV-1: a neglected infection of global significance as a joint plenary at the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference and the Australasian Sexual Health Conference in Canberra, 8 November 2017
- View recording of Professor Antoine Gessain presenting on HTLV-1 Mother to Child Transmission at the Conference for Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, 5 March 2018
- View abstracts and recordings from the HTLV-1 session at the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference in Sydney, 26 September 2018
- View abstracts and recordings from the HTLV-1 session at the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference in Perth, 17 September 2019
Published articles and reports
- Highlights from the HTLV-1 symposium at the 2017 Australasian HIV and AIDS Conference held jointly with the 2017 Australasian Sexual Health Conference, November 2017, Canberra, Australia published by the Journal of Virus Eradication 1 January 2018
- 2017 international meeting of the Global Virus Network published by Antiviral Research 5 February 2018
- Time to eradicate HTLV-1: an open letter to WHO published by The Lancet 10 May 2018
- Report back from HTLV-1 Symposium, Tokyo Japan 11-13 July 2018 by Dr Fabiola Martin
- Communique from HTLV-1 Collaborative Forum 28-29 August 2018 Alice Springs
HTLV-1 in the news
- HIV related virus spreading in remote Indigenous communities presented by Fran Kelly via ABC RN Breakfast on 6 November 2017
- Ancient virus lurking in remote Australia, affecting thousands of Aboriginal adults by Bridget Brennan via ABCNEWS on 24 April 2018
- Indigenous investigations—'People are scared': the fight against a deadly virus no one has heard of by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 24 April 2018
- What is HTLV-1? The devastating health crisis afflicting central Australia by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 24 April 2018
- World experts call for Australia to act on devastating HTLV-1 virus by Lorena Allam and Justin McCurry via The Guardian Australia on 28 April 2018
- Treat HTLV-1 virus or risk it spreading widely, doctor who discovered it warns by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 4 May 2018
- An emotional call to eradicate ancient cousin of HIV by Jacqueline Howard via CNN on 10 May 2018
- WHO urged to act to eliminate ancient virus HTLV-1 found in Australia by Bridget Brennan via ABCNEWS on 11 May 2018
- Time to eradicate HTLV-1, World Health Organisation is warned by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 11 May 2018
- Ancient HTLV-1 virus affecting millions to receive 'rapid action', Health Minister Greg Hunt signals by Bridget Brennan via ABCNEWS on 25 May 2018
- Aboriginal groups cautiously welcome Coalition's $8m pledge to fight HTLV-1 by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 11 May 2018
- HTLV-1: major study needed into fatal virus in Indigenous Communities by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 1 September 2018
- Australia has the highest rates of infection by an HIV-like virus, but no one cares by Jill Margo via Australian Financial Review on 11 January 2019
- Labour pushes Coalition to tackle fatal virus HTLV-1 in Indigenous Communities by Lorena Allam via The Guardian Australia on 9 August 2019
Figure: TECHNICAL REPORT: Geographical distribution of areas with a high prevalence of HTLV-1 infection published by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
Future events
- WHO Global Consultation on HTLV-1, 13-15 November 2019, Tokyo
- HTLV-1 session at the Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference, Melbourne 2020
- 20th International Conference on Human Retrovirology, Melbourne 2021
Contact ASHM about HTLV-1
Please feel free to submit events, papers and reports for consideration for uploading via email: ashm@ashm.org.au