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| | Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Information Page: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ... |
 | | Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an infrequent disorder of the nervous system that primarily affects individuals with suppressed immune systems (including, allograft recipients such as kidney transplant patients; patients with cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma; and nearly 10% of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome — AIDS. |
 | | The disorder, which is caused by a common human polyomavirus, JC virus, is characterized by demyelination or destruction of the myelin sheath that covers nerve cells. |
 | | Symptoms of PML include mental deterioration, vision loss, speech disturbances, ataxia (inability to coordinate movements), paralysis, and, ultimately, coma reflecting the multifocal distribution of brain lesions. |
| www.ninds.nih.gov /disorders/pml/pml.htm (346 words) |
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