Also referred to as progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare yet extremely serious viral disease that causes the brain's white matter to swell in various locations. As inflammation progresses, the sheath covering the brain's nerve cells (myelin) is destroyed, which thereby upsets the transmitting and receiving of nerve impulses. PML arises as a result of the JC virus (JCV) becoming active within the body.
Interestingly, about 86 percent of the population has JCV antibodies. However, in most cases, these antibodies remain latent, and individuals don't develop PML. PML typically only becomes active when an individual is:
Currently, there is no cure for PML, and the prognosis of a case will depend on an individual's medical history, as well as the precise cause of the condition. About 10 percent of PML patients will survive for more than 12 months. Generally, PML patients will have a prognosis of one to nine months of survival following a PML diagnosis. In cases of AIDS present with PML, the outcome is far more grim – with the average survival lasting about six months.
In most cases, the first indication of PML is clumsiness. Subsequently, the following Symptoms of PML may develop:
Anyone who starts to experience some combination of the above symptoms should seek emergency medical attention for a proper diagnosis. To pinpoint or rule out the presence of PML, doctors may perform:
Should patients be diagnosed with PML and have a history of taking the psoriasis medication Raptiva or a related medication, they may be entitled to seek compensation for their losses by filing a defective drug lawsuit.
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