Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (Feb 2011)

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy as an AIDS-defining condition in a patient with high CD4+ T-lymphocyte count

  • Roberta Oliveira de Paula e Silva,
  • Rafaela Cabral Gonçalves Fabiano,
  • Moisés Salgado Pedrosa,
  • José Roberto Lambertucci,
  • Luciana Cristina dos Santos Silva

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822011000100028
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 44, no. 1
pp. 119 – 121

Abstract

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We present the case of a 31-year-old man with acute manifestation of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) as an AIDS-defining disease. The patient presented with a three-day history of neurological disease, brain lesions without mass effect or contrast uptake and a slightly increased protein concentration in cerebrospinal fluid. A serological test for HIV was positive and the CD4+ T-cell count was 427/mm³. Histological examination of the brain tissue revealed abnormalities compatible with PML. The disease progressed despite antiretroviral therapy, and the patient died three months later. PML remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected patients.

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