title: Multiple sclerosis-like illness occurring with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: We describe seven men with a neurologic disease clinically indistinguishable from multiple sclerosis occurring in association with seropositivity for the human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1). Histopathology of the CNS obtained in three patients (2 by brain biopsy, 1 at autopsy) was consistent with MS. The neurologic symptoms preceded the onset of clinically evident immunosuppression in all patients. In three men, HIV-1 seropositivity was demonstrated concomitantly or within 3 months of the onset of their neurologic disease. In the others, features of MS preceded the demonstration of HIV-1 seropositivity by 41 months, 59 months, 11 years, and 18 years, respectively. Despite the superimposition of varying degrees of cellular immunodeficiency associated with HIV-1 infection, six of these men continued to experience relapsing neurologic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Sheremata
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Resnick
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norenberg
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology