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3-D Imaging and Analysis of Neurons Infected In Vivo with Toxoplasma gondii
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3-D Imaging and Analysis of Neurons Infected In Vivo with Toxoplasma gondii

Published on: December 9, 2014

Central Nervous System Toxoplasmosis is an Under-Recognized Opportunistic infection in Uganda

Nathan C Bahr1,2, John Kasibante3, Laura Nsangi3

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, umn.edu.

Journal of Tropical Medicine
|June 29, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Toxoplasma meningoencephalitis is underdiagnosed in Uganda. Next-generation sequencing identified 15 cases, highlighting diagnostic limitations and the frequency of toxoplasmosis co-infection in advanced HIV patients.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neuroscience
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Toxoplasma meningoencephalitis is frequently underdiagnosed in Uganda due to limitations in current diagnostic methods.
  • Clinical symptoms alone are often insufficient for accurate diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii meningoencephalitis.
  • Toxoplasmosis is a significant opportunistic infection, particularly in individuals with advanced HIV.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To detail 15 identified cases of possible Toxoplasma gondii meningoencephalitis.
  • To underscore the diagnostic challenges and limitations in clinical symptom-based diagnosis.
  • To emphasize the need for improved diagnostic tools and highlight toxoplasmosis co-infection rates.

Main Methods:

  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected meningitis were analyzed.
  • Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was employed for pathogen identification.
  • Clinical case details were reviewed to correlate findings with diagnostic limitations.

Main Results:

  • Fifteen cases of possible Toxoplasma gondii meningoencephalitis were identified using CSF metagenomic next-generation sequencing.
  • The study highlights the inadequacy of relying solely on clinical presentation for diagnosing this condition.
  • Toxoplasmosis was frequently observed as a co-infection in patients with advanced HIV.

Conclusions:

  • Metagenomic next-generation sequencing offers a valuable tool for diagnosing underrecognized cases of Toxoplasma meningoencephalitis.
  • There is a critical need for accessible and rapid diagnostic methods to improve patient outcomes.
  • The high frequency of toxoplasmosis co-infection underscores its importance in the management of advanced HIV.

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