[Clinical value of a polymerase chain reaction on cytomegalovirus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid in HIV patients with neurological symptoms].

The value of the PCR for CMV in the CSF was evaluated. 23 samples from 20 patients were examined for CMV DNA, of which 11 were positive and 12 were negative for CMV. The clinical spectrum of the patients with positive samples included encephalitis, encephalitis, and polyradiculopathy, or isolated polyradiculopathy. The main symptoms were fever, confusion, lethargy, cognitive disturbance, cranial neuropathy, weakness of the legs, and incontinence. The laboratory evaluation showed a low CD4 lymphocyte count, a slightly increased blood sedimentation rate and a large variation of CSF patterns. The CMV early antigen tests were negative in all cases. In 4 cases the neuroradiological examination was compatible with CMV infection. 8 patients were treated with ganciclovir or foscarnet. Improvement of symptoms was observed in 2 cases and stabilization in 2 others. However, the CMV infection was rapidly progressive and 9 out of 10 patients died after a mean of 53 days after diagnosis.