Cotrimoxazole is effective as primary prophylaxis for toxoplasmic encephalitis in HIV-infected patients: a case control study.
In a case-control study, prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole for toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) in HIV-infected patients was evaluated. Cotrimoxazole had been given as PCP prophylaxis. 20 patients with TE were identified and 72 matching control cases were found. All patients had IgG-antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and CD4+ T-cell counts < or = 100/microliter. The use and duration of cotrimoxazole prophylaxis were recorded. It was found that among the patients with TE, none had used cotrimoxazole for > 70% of the observation time, and that the 1-y incidence was 0% in the control group vs. 41% in those patients without sufficient cotrimoxazole use. The conclusion is that cotrimoxazole is effective as primary prophylaxis for TE, even in a dose of 480 mg daily.
Weigel
H M
HM
Department of Medicine, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
de Vries
E
E
Regez
R M
RM
Henrichs
J H
JH
Ten Velden
J J
JJ
Frissen
P H
PH
van der Meer
J T
JT
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016781:Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination