About HTLV 2026

The prime focus of this meeting is on the cancer and neuroinflammation caused by Human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV), and related delta retroviruses. Among cancer-causing viruses, HTLV-1 has the highest oncogenic potential, causing the aggressive Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in 1 in 20 infected persons. The impact of HTLV-1 on health is multi-faceted. Apart from cancer, HTLV-1 is associated with multiple inflammatory conditions, the most well-known being HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM/TSP) that has similarities with Multiple Sclerosis. As a result of forty years of global neglect there is no vaccine, no treatments to target the infection, limited and inconsistent public health preventive intervention and no cure for any of the HTLV-associated diseases apart from the bone marrow transplantation for the advanced ATLL.

International interest in HTLVs has increased significantly in the last 6 years starting with the open letter to the WHO, the WHO Tokyo workshop (2019) and reports (2021), the call for action to prevent HTLV-1 mother-to-child transmission (PAHO) and the initiation of universal HTLV-1 antenatal screening in Brazil (2024). Progress is being made in vaccine development, the potential to repurpose some antiretroviral therapies is being realised and most importantly the voice of people living with HTLVs is starting to be heard. More, much more needs to be done. There remains an urgent need to expedite research and its funding, spread the awareness, engage patients, communities, policy makers, WHO, and pharmaceutical industries.

The last conference (HTLV 2024) held in the Imperial College London was a great success and paved ways for another productive meeting in USA after 23 years (HTLV2003, San Francisco). This conference will cover some of the most important advances in discovery research, molecular and immunological pathogenesis, pre-clinical models, epidemiology, diagnostics, prevention, vaccinology, and therapeutics. Therefore, we are excited to welcome you all in Philadelphia for an exciting program of science and community engagement with the involvement of international policy makers to discuss important areas of patient management and public health.