Diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis by a nested polymerase chain reaction: a case report

A 24-year-old man infected with human immunodeficiency virus type I rapidly progressed to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. His clinical picture was compatible with a presumptive diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis. Application of a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) succeeded in detecting Toxoplasma gondii DNA in both the venous blood and cerebrospinal fluid specimens. This result indicates that PCR is a convenient tool for making a rapid and accurate diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis, especially in developing countries.