title: Cerebral toxoplasmosis in Danish AIDS patients.
abstract: We estimate the frequency of central nervous system (CNS) toxoplasmosis in Danish AIDS patients and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy using the following criteria for acceptance of the diagnosis: either (1) the demonstration of Toxoplasma gondii in brain tissue or (2) one or more hypodense or ring-enhancing lesions on computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan and a neurologic and CAT scan improvement in response to 2 weeks of treatment. From 1981 until July 1990 266 patients were diagnosed with AIDS at Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen and 29 (11%) were treated, suspected for CNS toxoplasmosis. 17 patients had the diagnosis confirmed but since 5 patients, who were never treated, were diagnosed at autopsy, the overall cumulated incidence was 8% (22/266 patients). The overall diagnostic accuracy was 59% (17/29 patients) showing some changes over time. Among patients diagnosed with AIDS in 1988 or later, the accuracy was 83% (10/12 patients) while among patients diagnosed in 1987 or earlier the accuracy was 41% (7/17 patients). Four patients were diagnosed with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prior to the diagnosis of CNS toxoplasmosis, while among patients with toxoplasmosis as the AIDS-defining diagnosis, 3 later developed PCP. None of these 7 patients had received secondary prophylaxis with a drug containing sulfonamide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pers
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aschow
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016781:Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan