Conjunctival T-cell lymphoma caused by human T-cell lymphotrophic virus infection

PURPOSE: To examine the cause of adult T-cell leukemia/ lymphoma. METHODS: We examined a conjunctival biopsy from a 29-year-old Jamaican man who developed bilateral conjunctival masses. Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma was diagnosed using routine histology, immunohistochemistry, electron micr oscopy, microdissection, and the polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Histopathologic examination revealed a conjunctival lymphoma. Clon ality of the T-cell receptor gamma gene and human T-cell lymphotrophic viru s gag gene were detected in the malignant cells. The demonstration of the h uman T-cell lymphotrophic virus gene and the rearrangement of the T-cell re ceptor gene in this neoplasm provide proof that human T-cell lymphotrophic virus is the cause of this conjunctival T-cell lymphoma, CONCLUSION: Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus is the cause of adult T-cell l eukemia/lymphoma, an aggressive malignancy of CD4+ lymphocytes. (Am J Ophth almol 2001;131:381-383, (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserv ed.).