I have been reading about the similarity on toxoplasmosis and pml. Back in October he was doing landscaping in the backyard of which we had dogs. I've read how a person with HIV could have the JC virus surface do to exposure of animal feces. I am wondering if he has been diagnosed properly because his recovery has been so speedy after 4 weeks in a vegetable state to now sitting up,eating and talking. His latest kidney test show: bun- 24 / creatinine 1.0. I am very puzzled about this whole thing and really need some good advise quickly. Would you have a number to call to speak to someone knowledgeable on PML. Also are there any good clinical tests being done. I've read some promising information on a drug call Peptide-T.

I've included your previous response for your reference:

A NEW DIAGNOSIS OF PML. ONLY CONFIRMED BY AN MRI AND CAT SCAN.

HOSPITALIZED FOR ACUTE KIDNEY FAILURE DUE TO SEVERE DIARRHEA CAUSED BY

AN INTESTINAL BACTERIA. DURING THE HOSPITAL STAY 4 SEIZURES TOOK PLACE

THE LAST ONE CAUSED HIM TO BECOME EXTREMELY WEAK, UNABLE TO TALK OR

SWALLOW, AND IS BEDRIDDEN. THEY THINK THE SEIZURES COULD HAVE BEEN

CAUSED BY A MEDICINE CALLED COMPAZINE FOR NAUSEA. HE IS AT HOME NOW AND

REGAINED HIS SPEECH AND SWALLOW AND ABLE TO MOVE HIS LIMBS MORE AND MORE

EACH DAY.HIS KIDNEY'S ARE FUNCTIONING ALMOST NORMAL. HIS DOCTOR CLAIMS

THAT THIS IS A NORMAL RECOVERY PATTERN, BUT TO EXPECT HIM TO GET WORSE.

HIS DOCTOR HAS NOT BEEN VERY ACTIVE ON THE TREATMENT OF THE PML. WHAT

STEPS COULD YOU SUGGEST WE TAKE AS PATIENTS IN APPROACHING THIS

DIAGNOSIS. AT THIS TIME HE IS NOT ON ANY HIV MEDS, JUST A HOST OF

DIFFERENT ANTIBIOTICS.

Dr. Holodniy's Response:

PML is thought to be caused by another virus. Two approaches have been

used. Aggressive treatment of HIV to get the T cells up (necessary to

fight this other virus). Or direct treatment of the virus causing PML

with cidofovir (usually used to treat CMV retinitis). This will be hard

in this case given the kidney failure, which is the main side effect of

this medicine.

Toxo and PML look very different on a MRI scan. There would also have to be antibodies to toxo in the blood present. I don't know about the dog theory and PML. I also don't know off the top of my head an expert. Glad he is doing better though.

MH