Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

We are a multidisciplinary group committed to investigate a neglected and complex infection such as a T-cell lymphotropic virus human type 1 (HTLV-1).

The HTLV-1 infection is endemic in Peru. It is estimated that approximately 2% of the Peruvian population could be infected with this virus. The main transmission routes are horizontally transmitted by sexual contact and organ transplantation and vertical transmission through breastfeeding. Although it's been almost 30 years since the first associations of HTLV-1 with diseases such as lymphoma / leukemia in adult T cells and tropical spastic paraparesis / myelopathy associated with HTLV-1, still unknown why some people develop these diseases while most remain asymptomatic throughout their lives.

We study the epidemiological, clinical, immunological, virological and genetic aspects related to HTLV-1. We work with a cohort of patients with HTLV-1 infection of about 4,200 people who are invited for clinical follow-up and family study, in order to prevent the transmission of infection, prevent the development of diseases associated with HTLV-1 in their carriers and to identify factors related to the pathogenesis of the associated diseases.

Organization

Head of Group

  Dr. Eduardo Gotuzzo

Clinical Coordinator

  Dr. Fernando Mejía 

Basic Science Coordinator

  Dr. Michael Talledo 

Research team:

• Martin Tipismana Barbaran
• Elsa González
• Carolina Alvarez Mejía
• Giovanni López Campana
• Jason Rosado Sandoval
• Jessica Cuenca Iglesias
• Yessica Ramos Lara
• Claudia Ocampo Acuña
• Lorena Bernia Zavala
• Andrés Posadas Yabar
• Jorge Rúa Fernandez
• Elisa Valdez Guillermo
• Viviana Quintana Capcha
• Yovana Campos Guevara

Collaboration and funding

• FA3 -Third framework agreement programme between DGCD and ITM (FA3, 2008-2013/2016).

• VLIR - UOS Flemish Interuniversity Council

Recent Projects

• “Design of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for HTLV-1 diagnosis”. En ejecución. Third framework agreement programme between DGCD and ITM (FA3, 2008-2013/2016).

• Identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets for human T-lymphotropic virus 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in Peru. En ejecución. Financiamiento VLIRUOS. Partner Universidad Católica de Lovaina –Bélgica

• Selección de biomarcadores proteicos asociados a la presencia de Paraparesia Espástica Tropical en pacientes HTLV-1 positivos: En ejecución. Financiamiento: Fondo concursable UPCH 2012.

Relevant Publications

• Ita F, Mayer EF, Verdonck K, Gonzalez E, Clark D, Gotuzzo E. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection is frequent in rural communities of the southern Andes of Peru. Int J Infect Dis. 2014 Feb;19:46-52. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2013.10.005. Epub 2013 Nov 19.

• Menezes SM, Decanine D, Brassat D, Khouri R, Schnitman SV, Kruschewsky R, López G, Alvarez C, Talledo M, Gotuzzo E, Vandamme AM, Galvão-Castro B, Liblau R, Weyenbergh JV. CD80+ and CD86+ B cells as biomarkers and possible therapeutic targets in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and multiple sclerosis. J Neuroinflammation. 2014 Jan 29;11:18. doi: 10.1186/1742-2094-11-18.

• Woll F, Gotuzzo E, Montes M. Strongyloides stercoralis infection complicating the central nervous system. Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;114:229-34. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53490-3.00017-0. Review.

• Gillet NA, Cook L, Laydon DJ, Hlela C, Verdonck K, Alvarez C, Gotuzzo E, Clark D, Farré L, Bittencourt A, Asquith B, Taylor GP, Bangham CR. Strongyloidiasis and infective dermatitis alter human T lymphotropic virus-1 clonality in vivo. PLoS Pathog. 2013;9(4):e1003263. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003263. Epub 2013 Apr 4.

• Moens B, Pannecouque C, López G, Talledo M, Gotuzzo E, Khouri R, Bittencourt A, Farré L, Galvão-Castro B, Vandamme AM, Van Weyenbergh J. Simultaneous RNA quantification of human and retroviral genomes reveals intact interferon signaling in HTLV-1-infected CD4+ T cell lines. Virol J. 2012 Aug 23;9:171. doi: 10.1186/1743-422X-9-171.

• Moens B, Decanine D, Menezes SM, Khouri R, Silva-Santos G, Lopez G, Alvarez C, Talledo M, Gotuzzo E, de Almeida Kruschewsky R, Galvão-Castro B, Vandamme AM, Van Weyenbergh J. Ascorbic acid has superior ex vivo antiproliferative, cell death-inducing and immunomodulatory effects over IFN-α in HTLV-1-associated myelopathy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012;6(7):e1729. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001729. Epub 2012 Jul 24.

• Talledo M, López G, Huyghe JR, Verdonck K, González E, Clark D, Vanham G, Gotuzzo E, Van Camp G, Van Laer L. Possible implication of NFKB1A and NKG2D genes in susceptibility to HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in Peruvian patients infected with HTLV-1. J Med Virol. 2012 Feb;84(2):319-26. doi: 10.1002/jmv.22255.

• Mayer EF, Ita F, Gonzalez E, Verdonck K, Bravo F, Clark D, Gotuzzo E. Association between onychodystrophy and human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection. Int J Infect Dis. 2013 May;17(5):e312-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2012.11.009. Epub 2012 Dec 12. 

Contact Information

Address: IMTAvH, 2do piso. 

Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia 

Av. Honorio Delgado 262Urb. Ingeniería, San Martin de Porres. Lima - Perú. 

Phone: 

• 51-1 4823903
• 51-1 4823910 (ext 15) 
• 995581333

E-mail:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.