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3-D Imaging and Analysis of Neurons Infected In Vivo with Toxoplasma gondii
Published on: December 9, 2014
Features to validate cerebral toxoplasmosis.
Carolina da Cunha Correia1, Heloísa Ramos Lacerda Melo, Vláudia Maria Assis Costa
1Serviço de Neurologia, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. carolina.dra@gmail.com
Revista Da Sociedade Brasileira De Medicina Tropical
|July 17, 2013
Summary
Neurotoxoplasmosis (NT) in AIDS patients can present atypically, sometimes without focal neurological deficits or with single brain lesions. Increased PCR sensitivity for Toxoplasma gondii DNA is linked to more lesions and higher cerebrospinal fluid cell counts.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Neurotoxoplasmosis (NT) is an opportunistic infection often seen in immunocompromised individuals, particularly those with AIDS.
- NT can exhibit varied clinical and imaging presentations, sometimes deviating from typical patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and PCR characteristics of neurotoxoplasmosis in patients with AIDS.
- To identify factors associated with atypical presentations of NT and improved diagnostic sensitivity.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 85 patients diagnosed with NT and AIDS.
- Evaluation of clinical data, CSF analysis, cranial MRI findings, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Toxoplasma gondii DNA.
Main Results:
- 8.5% of patients lacked focal neurological deficits.
- 16.4% presented with a single cerebral lesion.
- Increased PCR sensitivity for T. gondii DNA was associated with pleocytosis and more than four encephalic lesions.
Conclusions:
- Neurotoxoplasmosis can occur without focal neurological deficits and may present with solitary brain lesions.
- Higher lesion burden and CSF pleocytosis enhance the sensitivity of PCR for detecting T. gondii DNA in the central nervous system.
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