Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in a Patient Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Case Report

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare but severe demyelinating disease caused by JC virus in immunocompromised individuals. This case report discusses a 59-year-old female living with HIV who presented with progressive neurological deficits, including vision loss and cognitive decline. After several years without treatment, she had recently restarted antiretroviral therapy (ART). Imaging and clinical findings confirmed a diagnosis of PML. Despite aggressive management, her prognosis remained poor due to advanced disease manifestations. Severe HIV-related complications like PML are preventable with timely and consistent ART adherence. This case underscores the important of early diagnosis and ART adherence to prevent PML and highlights challenges in managing late-stage HIV complications. In the era of effective HIV therapies, such outcomes should no longer occur.