Since the TLR3 rs3775291 C/T polymorphism has been associated with the severity of COVID-19, mainly in men, influencing the autophagy process and affecting TNF production and susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection (Croci et al., 2022), we evaluated the influence of the TLR3 rs5743305 T/A and rs3775291 C/T polymorphisms on HTLV-1 infection according to sex. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is COVID-19.