Phylogenetic lassification of human T cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type I genotypes in five major molecular and geographical subtypes

Proviral DNA was obtained from ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 75 human T cell leukaemia/ lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I)-infected individuals who were either asymptomatic or had adult T cell leukaemia or tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-asso-ciated myelopathy. Amplified long terminal repeats (LTRs) were analysed for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). The results, together with previously published LTR data (a total of 180 specimens analysed), showed the presence of 12 different RFLP profiles with four major molecular subtypes. Further-more, a fragment of 413 bp (nucleotides 22 to 434) of the U3/R region was sequenced for 12 new HTLV-I specimens originating from Central and West Africa (8 cases), Iran (1 case), Caribbean (2 cases) and Reunio