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Review
. 2023 Oct;29(5):524-537.
doi: 10.1007/s13365-023-01164-w. Epub 2023 Sep 2.

Revisiting JC virus and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Angela Rocchi  1 , Ilker K Sariyer  2 , Joseph R Berger  3
Affiliations
Review

Revisiting JC virus and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Angela Rocchi et al. J Neurovirol. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Since its definition 65 years ago, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) has continued to devastate a growing population of immunosuppressed patients despite major advances in our understanding of the causative JC virus (JCV). Unless contained by the immune system, JCV lyses host oligodendrocytes collateral to its life cycle, leading to demyelination, neurodegeneration, and death. Novel treatments have stagnated in the absence of an animal model while current antiviral agents fail to address the now ubiquitous polyomavirus. In this review, we highlight the established pathogenesis by which JCV infection progresses to PML, highlighting major challenges that must be overcome to eliminate the underlying virus and, therefore, the debilitating disease.

Keywords: Diagnosis; Immunosuppression; JC virus; Latency; PML; Reactivation; Treatment.

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