Kidney disease may trigger rare, potentially fatal brain virus, study says
FILE - MRI scans of patient's brain. (Getty Images)
A recent case study found a possible new trigger for a potentially dangerous, and sometimes fatal, virus that could be laying dormant in up to 90% of people.
The human polyomavirus 2, also known as the JC virus or John Cunningham virus, if reactivated in patients, more often in those who are immunocompromised, could lead to a devastating and often fatal disease known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
Dig deeper:
The recent study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, found evidence that chronic kidney disease could trigger the JC virus in patients, and lead to PML.
The patient involved in the study had end-stage renal disease (the final stage of chronic kidney disease) and developed PML. The patient eventually died.
The case challenges previous paradigms that PML only arises in patients who are overtly immunocompromised.
What they're saying:
Researchers stressed the need for "heightened vigilance" in patients with chronic kidney disease and that the list of conditions that could trigger the JC virus, leading to PML in patients, is growing.
Big picture view:
Other diseases that can trigger the JC virus include AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease.
JC virus and PML
Between 40% and 90% of the general population has been exposed to the JC virus, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Trust website.
There are no symptoms and often, people don’t even know they have it.
It lies dormant and is kept under control by the immune system. But, for those who are immunocompromised, the virus can become activated and lead to PML.
PML attacks the nervous system and destroys the cells that create myelin. Myelin is the substance that protects our nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the Rare Diseases website.
This can lead to brain damage, seizures and death.
Mortality rates for PML range between 30% and 50% in the first few months following diagnosis.
And even if a patient survives the disease, they could be left with severe neurological disabilities.
So far, there are no proven therapies that exist to treat PML.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a clinical case study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on March 17, 2026. Information from the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine, the Multiple Sclerosis Trust website, the National Organisation for Rare Disorders website, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website also contributed to this report. This story was reported from San Jose.