Detection of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 proviral DNA in the saliva of an adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma patient using the polymerase chain reaction

Abstract
We report a case of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL), in whom the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on genomic DNA from saliva demonstrated the monoclonal integration of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) proviral DNA in lymphocytes in the saliva. These results provided evidence of the possibility of saliva-borne transmission of HTLV-1.