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Leucoencephalopathy with multinucleated giant cells containing human immune deficiency virus-like particles and multiple opportunistic cerebral infections in one patient with AIDS

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Summary

A 29-year-old homosexual male with AIDS presented with progressive encephalopathy and cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia. Neuropathological examination revealed toxoplasma abcesses in corpus callosum, basal ganglia and cerebellar white matter; demyelinating foci in the parietal white matter, with microscopic changes typical of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy and intranuclear papovavirus inclusions in oligodendrocytes; and lesions of subacute encephalitis in the periventricular regions with large cells positive by immunostaining for CMV. Diffuse myelin loss was observed in the cerebral white matter. Multinucleated giant cells were numerous in the demyelinated areas, they were also observed in close relationship with papova, CMV and Toxoplasma lesions. Immunostaining of these cells was positive for histiocyte markers and negative with the leucocyte common antigen monoclonal antibody. Some of them contained virus-like particles measuring around 100 nm similar to human immune deficiency virus (HIV) as observed in human brain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Pathologie, Hôpital Henri Mondor, F-94010, Créteil, France

    F. Gray, R. Gherardi, P. Gaulard & J. Poirier

  2. Laboratoire Central d'Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Paris, France

    M. Baudrimont

  3. Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil, F-94010, Créteil, France

    C. Meyrignac

  4. Laboratoire d'Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France

    C. Vedrenne

Authors
  1. F. Gray
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  2. R. Gherardi
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  3. M. Baudrimont
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  4. P. Gaulard
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  5. C. Meyrignac
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  6. C. Vedrenne
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  7. J. Poirier
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Additional information

This paper was the subject of a preliminary communication at the 61st meeting of the British Neuropathological Society joint with le Club Français de Neuropathologie, Brighton, 10–11 July 1986

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Gray, F., Gherardi, R., Baudrimont, M. et al. Leucoencephalopathy with multinucleated giant cells containing human immune deficiency virus-like particles and multiple opportunistic cerebral infections in one patient with AIDS. Acta Neuropathol 73, 99–104 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00695508

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00695508

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