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

A 29-year-old homosexual male with AIDS presented with progressive encephalopathy and cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia. Neuropathological examination revealed toxoplasma abscesses 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.