title: Chagasic meningoencephalitis: case report of a recently included AIDS-defining illness in Brazil.
abstract: Recently, reactivation of Chagas disease (meningoencephalitis and/or myocarditis) was included in the list of AIDS-defining illnesses in Brazil. We report a case of a 52-year-old patient with no history of previous disease who presented acute meningoencephalitis. Direct examination of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed Trypanosoma cruzi. CSF culture confirmed the diagnosis. Serological assays for T. cruzi and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were positive. Despite treatment with benznidazol and supportive measures, the patient died 24 hours after hospital admission. In endemic areas, reactivation of Chagas disease should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of meningoencephalitis among HIV-infected patients, and its presence is indicative of AIDS.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Madalosso
authors.forename: Alessandra C Guedes
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pellini
authors.forename: Marileide J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Ana Freitas
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weissmann
authors.forename: Gilberto Silva
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Oliveira Filho
authors.forename: Augusto C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Penalva de Oliveira
authors.forename: Jose E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vidal
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; C009999:benzonidazole