CYTOMEGALOVIRUS ENCEPHALITIS IN 2 PATIENTS WITH AIDS RECEIVING GANCICLOVIR FOR CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RETINITIS

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) encephalitis has been reported with increasing f requency in patients with AIDS. Nevertheless, the management of CMV-re lated encephalitis appears to be problematic and data in the literatur e on the clinical efficacy of ganciclovir therapy is sparse and contro versial. We describe two patients with AIDS who developed CMV encephal itis while receiving ganciclovir maintenance therapy for CMV retinitis . Moreover, there was no improvement in neurological status or virolog ical and radiological response during a further induction course of ga nciclovir. These observations suggest that the currently recommended t herapeutic protocols with ganciclovir are not effective in the prevent ion and treatment of CMV encephalitis in patients with AIDS.