Open AccessToxoplasma encephalitis in HIV: case report
Author(s) -
Paul M. Ng’walali,
Kazuhiko Kibayashi,
Martin P. Mbonde,
Ahmed M. Makata,
James Kitinya,
Shigeyuki Tsunenari
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
east african medical journal
Language(s) - Slovenian
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.102
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 0012-835X
DOI - 10.4314/eamj.v78i5.9055
Subject(s) - medicine , fulminant , toxoplasmosis , tanzania , autopsy , toxoplasma gondii , encephalitis , pediatrics , pathology , immunology , antibody , virus , environmental science , environmental planning
In Tanzania, no data are available on the prevalence of brain infection by toxoplasma in HIV-infected patients. A case of a 35-year old man with fulminant toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) is reported for the first time. TE was not suspected clinically in our patient who presented with a one week history of severe headache and treated empirically with antimalarial drugs. TE was diagnosed postmortem histologically by haematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical stain with P30 antibody for toxoplasma antigen. The findings in our case support the suggestion that a high index of suspicion for TE should be maintained in HIV-infected patients presenting with focal neurological symptoms. The case highlights the importance of autopsy studies in not only documenting a toxoplasma brain lesion but also in increasing the awareness for its diagnosis in HIV-infected patients in Tanzania and other developing countries.