What are the reservoir cells of the infected HTLV-I? a. T cells b. \(\mathrm{B}\) cells c. Macrophages

Short Answer

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#Short Answer# The reservoir cells of the infected HTLV-I (Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1) are T cells. HTLV-I mainly infects CD4+ T cells, which serve as the primary reservoir cells, allowing the virus to persist and eventually reactivate, causing disease or spreading the infection to new hosts.

Step by step solution

01

Introduction to Reservoir Cells

Reservoir cells are a group of cells in the body that can harbor a virus or pathogen for an extended period without being detected or cleared by the immune system. These cells can serve as a "safe haven" for viruses, allowing them to persist and eventually reactivate, causing disease or spreading the infection to new hosts.
02

Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-I)

HTLV-I is a human retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cells and is responsible for causing adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and inflammatory diseases such as HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The HTLV-I virus can be transmitted through blood transfusion, sexual contact, or from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding.
03

Identifying the Reservoir Cells

As mentioned above, HTLV-I mainly infects CD4+ T cells in the human body. The primary reservoir cells of HTLV-I are therefore the infected T cells, which allow viral replication and persistence without being detected or cleared by the immune system efficiently.
04

Conclusion

Based on the information provided, the correct answer is: a. T cells

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