title: The probability of acquiring primary Toxoplasma infection in HIV-infected patients: results of an 8-year retrospective study.
abstract: There is much hope that HIV-infected patients and AIDS patients can reckon with a prolonged survival in future. The increased survival of AIDS patients with positive Toxoplasma serology is not necessarily associated with an increased risk of developing Toxoplasma encephalitis. For HIV-infected patients with negative Toxoplasma serology, the probability of acquiring a primary Toxoplasma infection in highly endemic areas such as Germany had not been studied to date. One hundred eighty-three HIV-infected patients were followed up between 1987 and 1995 in a retrospective study. Within the cohort, 95% of the patients were male and 83% haemophiliacs. The initial (1987) and final (1995) prevalence rate of Toxoplasma antibodies was 33.3% and 36.6%, respectively. The annual rise of the primary infection rate was calculated as 0.41%. The dye test was used for the detection of Toxoplasma-specific antibodies. This assay proved to be reliable and stable during long-term observation. The rate of primary toxoplasmosis found in this long-term study was not higher than that of pregnant women in Germany. Chemoprophylactic measurements for seronegative HIV-infected patients are therefore not recommended, but regular serological screening to detect seroconverters is.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Parasitologie, Universität Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Reiter-Owona
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bialek
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Rockstroh
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Seitz
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy