Document Detail


Cerebral toxoplasmosis complicating the acquired immune deficiency syndrome: clinical and neuropathological findings in 27 patients.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  3963767     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We reviewed the clinical, neuroradiological, and serological findings in 27 patients with cerebral toxoplasmosis complicating the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, 19 of whom were also analyzed neuropathologically. The clinical manifestations of this disorder varied, ranging from headache and fever to coma. However, the characteristic presentation included focal neurological symptoms and signs, usually of subacute onset. In addition, two-thirds of the patients exhibited more generalized cerebral dysfunction with confusion and lethargy. The computed tomographic (CT) scan most commonly revealed ring contrast enhancement, which appeared to correlate best with the histological presence of vascular proliferation and inflammation surrounding the abscesses. However, in 5 patients the CT scan revealed either homogeneous enhancement or no enhancement, and in 3 patients the scans were negative. In general, CT scans underrepresented the number of lesions eventually documented pathologically. Double-dose contrast administration and preliminary experience with magnetic resonance imaging suggested that these techniques were superior to standard CT scanning in detecting Toxoplasma lesions. All patients were seropositive for IgG antibody against Toxoplasma gondii in blood, both before the onset of illness and at the time of presentation, although titers in some patients were as low as 1:8 and most patients did not exhibit rising titers. Prompt therapy resulted in rapid clinical improvement, documented by CT scan, associated with the development of an organizing tissue response in the host and elimination of free organisms. Response to treatment was sufficiently rapid in most patients to allow a trial of therapy as the favored approach to diagnosis.
Authors:
B A Navia; C K Petito; J W Gold; E S Cho; B D Jordan; R W Price
Related Documents :
12593127 - Susceptibility contrast and arterial spin labeled perfusion mri in cerebrovascular dise...
15472097 - Neurotoxicity of intra-arterial papaverine preserved with chlorobutanol used for the tr...
20658017 - Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: evolution in the presence of hypertension...
3369977 - Isolated small-vessel angiitis of the central nervous system.
8822747 - The diagnostic role of 201t1 spet imaging in patients with lung tumours: comparison wit...
19624797 - Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging as applied to patients with pulmonary arteria...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Annals of neurology     Volume:  19     ISSN:  0364-5134     ISO Abbreviation:  Ann. Neurol.     Publication Date:  1986 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1986-04-28     Completed Date:  1986-04-28     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7707449     Medline TA:  Ann Neurol     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  224-38     Citation Subset:  IM; X    
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications*,  pathology
Adult
Biopsy
Brain Diseases / complications*,  drug therapy,  pathology,  radiography
Central Nervous System / pathology*,  radiography
Clindamycin / therapeutic use
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pyrimethamine / therapeutic use
Serology
Sulfonamides / therapeutic use
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Toxoplasmosis / complications*,  drug therapy,  pathology,  radiography
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Sulfonamides; 18323-44-9/Clindamycin; 58-14-0/Pyrimethamine

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Signs of focal posterior cerebral abnormality in early subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
Next Document:  Abnormal platelet glutamate dehydrogenase activity and activation in dominant and nondominant olivop...