Myocardial toxoplasmosis complicating cardiac transplant

The increase in numbers of immunocompromised patients has been reflected by an increasing frequency of opportunistic infections. Of these, Toxoplasma gondii has been reported as a significant human pathogen following cardiac transplantation. In this setting, quiescent toxoplasma myocardial cysts may become active after implantation into a therapeutically immunosuppressed host. The consequences of infection are significant and carry a high morbidity and mortality. We present the clinical and pathologic characteristics of a patient with toxoplasma infection complicating cardiac transplant and review previously reported cases of this entity.