Article Sidebar
Published:
Jun 11, 2013Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
AIDS-related progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML): A retrospective study from Pretoria, South Africa
Abstract
Methods. Patients with positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) JC virus confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were retrospectively identified from January 2008 to June 2012. Adults seen at Neurology with PML were identified, and clinical features, laboratory findings and imaging studies were analysed.
Results. Of 121 specimens, 19 were positive; records of 17 patients were available (ages 27 - 64; CD4 counts 11 - 328 x106/ìl); clinical manifestations included focal weakness (47%), impaired co-ordination (41%), and speech disturbances (12%), and CSF analysis showed
high protein in 76%, and pleocytosis in 35%. Fifteen patients had CT brain scans, showing white matter involvement in 12; MRI studies in 13 patients showed typical PML lesions.
Conclusion. This report is the first case series of patients with PML from a South African neurology unit, emphasising the fact that PML occurs commonly in South African patients with HIV infection.
