title: JC virus-induced Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy.
abstract: Progressive multifocal encephalopathy (PML) is a fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), caused by the lytic infection of oligodendrocytes by a human polyomavirus, JC virus (JCV). PML is rare disease but mostly develops in patients with underlying immunosuppressive conditions, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, lymphoproliferative diseases, in those undergoing antineoplastic therapy and AIDS. However, consistent with the occurrence of PML under immunocompromised conditions, this disease seems to be also steadily increasing among autoimmune disease patients (multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease), who are treated with antibody-based regimens (natalizumab, efalizumab and rituximab). This unexpected occurrence of the disease among such a patient population reconfirms the existence of a strong link between the underlying immunosuppressive conditions and development of PML. These recent observations have generated a new interest among investigators to further examine the unique biology of JCV.
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Center for Neurovirology, Temple University School of Medicine, Education & Research Building (MERB-757), 3500 North Broad Street-7th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19140-5104.
authors: A Sami
authors: AS
authors: Saribas
authors: Ahmet
authors: A
authors: Ozdemir
authors: Cathy
authors: C
authors: Lam
authors: Mahmut
authors: M
authors: Safak