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Acute toxoplasmosis in nonstem cell transplant patients with haematological malignancies: a study from a regional cancer institute in South India
Author(s) -
Adurthi S,
Sahoo TP,
Chakka Kumar,
Radhika B,
Appaji L,
Bapsy PP,
Ramesh C,
Jayshree RS
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
hematological oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-1069
pISSN - 0278-0232
DOI - 10.1002/hon.864
Subject(s) - toxoplasma gondii , toxoplasmosis , concomitant , medicine , immunology , antibody , transplantation , cancer , pathogen , gastroenterology
The frequency of Toxoplasma gondii (Tgondii) infections was investigated during febrile episodes in nonstem cell transplant patients with haematological malignancies (HM). One hundred and sixty‐two febrile episodes in 125 HIV‐negative patients with HM undergoing treatment at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India comprised the study group. Plasma from anticoagulated whole blood was used for amplifying the B1 gene of T. gondii by nPCR. Specific antibodies to T. gondii (IgM and IgG) were tested using commercial kits. Corticosteroid and cotrimoxazole usage during these episodes was 50 and 41%, respectively. Twenty‐two of the febrile episodes (14%) were positive for T. gondii ; nine of which did not have any other concomitant infecting pathogen and were seen in symptomatic patients. While majority of these (13%) were ‘ Toxoplasma infection’, there was a single case of ‘probable Toxoplasma disease’ (0.6%). In four of the fatal febrile episodes, T. gondii was the causative agent; two of which did not have any other concomitant infection. None of the patients had undergone stem cell transplantation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.