Our results demonstrated that there was no association between TNFA-308G/A, IL6-174G/C, IFNG + 874 T/A, TGFB at codons + 10 T/C and + 25G/C, and IL10-1082G/A, -819C/T and -592C/A polymorphisms and development of HAM/TSP in our set of the Brazilian population. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is tropical spastic paraparesis.