title: High predictive value of Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibody levels in HIV-infected patients for diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis.
abstract: The results of serological tests for Toxoplasma gondii IgG in 31 HIV-infected patients with toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) and 49 HIV-infected patients seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii but without TE were compared. All patient had a CD4+ lymphocyte count < 150/microliters. Of the TE patients, 22 (71%) were designated as having relatively high IgG levels on the basis of the following Toxoplasma IgG titre combination: Sabin-Feldman test > or = 1:256, indirect hemagglutination test > or =1:1024, direct agglutination test > or = 1:14,580. Only 3 patients without TE had relatively high IgG titres. Relatively high IgG titres indicated TE with a positive predictive value of 88% in HIV-infected patients with CD4+ cell counts < 150/microliters, and could be observed in most patients several months prior to the first clinical and radiological signs of TE.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität München Klinikum rechts der Isar, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hellerbrand
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Disko
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D016781:Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G