A Contribuição da Nutrição nos casos de Paraparesia Espástica Tropical por HTLV-I.

The objective of this study is to describe intestinal constipation for HTLV-I virus and to analyze the role of dietary fiber and hydric consumption in the prevention and/or treatment of constipation in this group. The HTLV-I virus is the cause of an infection of extreme world importance. It is a virus whose contamination depends on contact with blood (blood transfusion and polluted syringes) and with other corporal fluids (sperm, vaginal secretions, and maternal milk). Among the infected individuals, only 1 to 5% can have some disease related to the virus. The others, 95 to 99% of the individuals do not present any diseases. Tropical spastic paraparesis, one of the most important diseases associated with the HTLV-I virus, has a slow progression and low lethality. This is characterized by the progressive weakness of the inferior members, with espasticidad, sensorial disturbances, urinary incontinence, intestinal constipation, and erectile dysfunction, however with a variable degree, usually light, concerning to the sensitive symptoms. From the nutritional point of view, it has been observed that the alimentary habit of the world population is increasingly restricted, with respect to the ingestion of fiber and liquid, becoming one of the most causal factors of constipation. This way, it becomes relevant to review the knowledge on tropical spastic paraparesis associated with the HTLV-I virus and the use of the fibres in the prevention of constipation.