title: [Cerebral toxoplasmosis in subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].
abstract: Cerebral toxoplasmosis is the most common cause of focal CNS disease complicating AIDS and may afflict 10% to 33% of such patients. We present the clinical, neuroradiological and immunological findings in 5 cases with cerebral toxoplasmosis complicating the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. All patients had focal neurological signs and symptoms; CT scan findings included single or multiple lesions with ring contrast enhancement, mass effect and oedema. CSF analysis showed increased protein levels, decreased glucose levels and pleocytosis; CSF IgG antitoxoplasma antibodies were positive in 4 patients; serum IgG antitoxoplasma antibodies were positive in all patients, while IgM resulted always negative in serum and in CSF. After therapy, in 2 cases CT scans showed small areas of encephalomalacia replacing the abscesses. We think that non-invasive techniques (CT scans, CSF and serum immunochemical tests) together with the finding of a favourable response to therapy may be useful for the diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis, allowing to avoid invasive technique such as cerebral biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Istituto per lo Studio delle Malattie del Sistema Nervoso, 2a Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Napoli.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orefice
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Carrieri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chirianni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tullio-Cataldo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farace
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Troisi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Striano
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
vernacular_title: Toxoplasmosi cerebrale in soggetti con sindrome da immunodeficienza acquisita.