Open AccessTrypanosoma cruzi Meningoencephalitis in HIV-Infected Patients
Author(s) -
N Silva,
L O'Bryan,
Eduardo Alexandrino Medeiros,
H Holand,
Jamal Suleiman,
de Mendonça Js,
N J Patronas,
Susan D. Reed,
Klein Hg,
Henry Masur,
Roberto Badaró
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes and human retrovirology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2331-6993
pISSN - 1077-9450
DOI - 10.1097/00042560-199904010-00004
Subject(s) - benznidazole , trypanosoma cruzi , meningoencephalitis , cerebrospinal fluid , medicine , differential diagnosis , computed tomographic , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , chagas disease , antiretroviral therapy , virology , pathology , computed tomography , viral load , radiology , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science
Five cases of Trypanosoma cruzi meningoencephalitis in HIV-infected patients are reported. All patients presented with mass lesions on head computed tomographic scan, trypanosomes in the cerebrospinal fluid and failure to respond to antitoxoplasmosis therapy. Benznidazole therapy was associated with clinical improvement in 1 patient. Another 4 patients had T cruzi identified in a peripheral smear. T cruzi needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of HIV-infected patients with central nervous system mass lesions if they have a history of appropriate exposure.