What does a positive JCV antibody result mean?

If the blood test finds JC virus (JCV positive), this indicates that you are at a higher risk of developing PML, although for most people the risk is still small.

What are JCV antibodies?

The JC virus antibody test, also called the Stratify JCV, is often performed before someone with multiple sclerosis (MS) is prescribed the drug Tysabri (natalizumab), which is a disease-modifying drug used to prevent relapse in people with MS.

What is JCV status?

When someone says that they’re “JCV-positive,” or “JCV+,” they mean that they’ve had a blood test that was positive for anti-JCV antibodies. Most people with MS are likely to have been tested for the JC virus early in their treatment.

What is a Jcv index?

Abstract. Anti-JC virus (JCV) antibody index is the predictive factor of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treating with natalizumab.

How many cases of PML with Tysabri?

The overall worldwide cumulative rate of PML in patients who have received one or more Tysabri infusions is 0.5 cases of PML per 1,000 patients. Since Tysabri’s re-marketing in the U.S., there have been no cases of PML in patients treated with Tysabri for less than 12 months.

Can you take Ocrevus If you are JCV positive?

If you’re JCV-positive and not using any of these, there’s no risk of developing PML. A rare exception was documented in a new Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) user who previously took Tysabri.

What are the chances of getting PML while on Tysabri?

The risk of developing PML increases with the number of Tysabri infusions received. Tysabri is administered as a single intravenous infusion every four weeks. The overall worldwide cumulative rate of PML in patients who have received one or more Tysabri infusions is 0.5 cases of PML per 1,000 patients.

How do you test for JCV?

Laboratory Testing

1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) – cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Positive CSF test with appropriate clinical symptoms strongly supports diagnosis (high sensitivity)
2. Other CSF testing.
3. JCV antibodies (test not available at ARUP Laboratories)

Is PML rare?

PML is a rare, but often fatal, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). PML is caused by lytic infection of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes resulting in multiple areas of demyelination in the CNS.

Which is better Tysabri or Ocrevus?

Results showed that annual relapse rates were lower for Tysabri than Ocrevus, and patients on Tysabri were significantly less likely to have had any relapse after 12 or 24 months of treatment. Further analyses indicated that patients on Tysabri were at an approximately 30\% lower risk of any relapse.

Is Tysabri an immunosuppressant drug?

Tysabri is an immunosuppressant medication. The symptoms of PML may begin gradually, usually worsen rapidly, and vary depending on which part of the brain is infected.

How is JCV treated?

No specific therapy exists for JCV infection or PML. The main approach to treatment involves ART to reverse the immunosuppression that interferes with the normal host response to this virus. In patients with PML who are not on therapy, ART should be started immediately (AII).