title: Cerebral toxoplasmosis in a patient with myasthenia gravis and thymoma with immunodeficiency/Good's syndrome: a case report.
abstract: Patients with thymoma with immunodeficiency (TWI)/Good's syndrome characteristically have evidence of combined immunodeficiency including low or absent B-cells, hypogammaglobulinemia and defects in T-cell mediated immunity. These patients can present with common or opportunistic infections.
  
  
  
  A 54-year-old female was diagnosed with cerebral toxoplasmosis. This occurred on a background of metastatic thymoma previously treated with chemotherapy and myasthenia gravis (MG) treated with mycophenolate mofetil, monthly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and pyridostigmine. She reported recurrent herpes zoster infection. The patient had clinical and radiological progression of cerebral infection despite completing standard induction and maintenance therapy with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine. Investigations found a complete absence of B-cells and evidence for hypogammaglobulinemia which, together with evidence of defects in T-cell mediated immunity and thymoma, lead to a diagnosis of TWI/Good's Syndrome. The patient has undergone prolonged high-dose therapy for toxoplasmosis and a reduction in immunosuppression with no evidence of recurrent toxoplasmosis or flare of MG.
  
  
  
  TWI/Good's Syndrome should be suspected in patients with thymoma and recurrent, persistent or unusual infections. If suspected serum immunoglobulins and lymphocyte subsets should be measured. These patients may need closer monitoring, higher dose and prolonged treatment of infections, and weaning of concurrent immunosuppression may be considered.
authors: Department of Clinical Immunology, Level 6 Laboratory Services Building, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Rd Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia. ssas7805@med.usyd.edu.au.|Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. ssas7805@med.usyd.edu.au.
authors: Sarah C
authors: SC
authors: Sasson
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Australia.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Davies
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Australia.
authors: Raymond
authors: R
authors: Chan
authors: Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Leo
authors: L
authors: Davies
authors: Department of Clinical Immunology, Level 6 Laboratory Services Building, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Rd Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Garsia
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016781:Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Good’s Syndrome; Immunodeficiency; Myasthenia Gravis (MG); Thymoma; Toxoplasma