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DOI: 10.1191/135248506ms1264oa Human demyelinating disease and the polyomavirus JCVCenter for Neurovirology and Cancer Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, 1900 North 12th Street, 015-96, Room 203, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA, kamel.khalili{at}temple.edu
Center for Neurovirology and Cancer Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, 1900 North 12th Street, 015-96, Room 203, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA Many human neurological diseases involve demyelination of the central and/or peripheral nervous systems. These include the hereditary leukodystrophies -which have a genetic basis; multiple sclerosis (MS) -where the underlying cause of demyelination remains unknown; and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) -where the etiology is well-established as being viral. The human neurotropic polyomavirus -JC virus (JCV) -is the etiologic agent of PML, a fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that occurs mainly in immunosuppressed patients, especially those with HIV/AIDS. JCV belongs to the polyomavirus family of tumor viruses that are characterized by non-enveloped icosahedral capsids containing small, circular, double-stranded DNA genomes. Serological studies have shown that JCV is widespread throughout the human population, but infections are usually restricted by the immune system, particularly cell-mediated immunity, causing the virus to enter a latent phase. An important corollary of this is that situations of severe immunosuppression may permit JCV to replicate and are thus a risk factor for PML.
Key Words: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome • demyelination • HIV • leukoencephalopathy • multiple sclerosis • polyomavirus • progressive multifocal
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