Serological profile of John Cunningham virus (JCV) in patients with multiple sclerosis

• Main Authors: Luciana Prats Branco, Tarso Adoni, Samira Luisa Apostolos-Pereira, Joseph Bruno Bidin Brooks, Eber Castro Correa, Carlos Augusto Damasceno, Audred Cristina Biondo Eboni, Leticia Fezer, Paulo Diniz da Gama, Marcus Vinicius Magno Goncalves, Sidney Gomes, Anderson Kuntz Grzesiuk, Maria Fernanda Mendes, Rogerio Rizo Morales, Andre Muniz, Monica Fiuza Koncke Parolin, Maria Lucia Vellutini Pimentel, Marlise de Castro Ribeiro, Gutemberg Augusto Cruz dos Santos, Henry Koiti Sato, Simone Batista Scherpenhuijzen, Claudio Scorcine, Fabio Siquineli, Nise Alexandra de Carvalho Sousa, Daniel Lima Varela, Tereza Cristina Avila Winckler, Yara Dadalti Fragoso
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO)
• Series: Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
• Subjects: multiple sclerosis; leukoencephalopathy, progressive multifocal; JC virus; natalizumab
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018000900588&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT Treatment options for multiple sclerosis (MS) have changed over the last few years, bringing about a new category of drugs with more efficient profiles. However, these drugs have come with a whole new profile of potential adverse events that neurologists have to learn well and quickly. One of the most feared complications of these MS treatments is progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy caused by the reactivation of the John Cunningham virus (JCV). Objective: To identify the serologic profile of JCV in patients with MS. Methods: Data on serum antibodies for JCV were obtained using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay provided by the STRATIFY-JCV program. Results: A total of 1,501 blood tests were obtained from 1,102 patients with MS. There were 633 patients (57.1%) who were positive for antibodies for JCV and 469 patients who were negative (42.9%). Twenty-three patients became positive after initially having negative JCV antibody status. The rate of seroconversion was 18.5% over 22 months. Conclusion: The JCV serologic profile and seroconversion in Brazilian patients were similar to those described in other countries.