Some Aspects of Protozoan Infections in Immunocompromised Patients: A Review

Effect of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) in Human Placental Explants Infected with Toxoplasma gondii Depends on Gestational Age

“…2 In immunocompromised individuals, however, T. gondii can be an important opportunistic pathogen and can cause severe disease such as encephalitis, necrotic lesions in the central nervous system, or retinochorioiditis. 3,4 In addition, congenital disease can occur in fetuses of mothers primarily infected with T. gondii during pregnancy. 5 Three major strains (types I, II, and III) of T. gondii demonstrate widespread distribution.…”

A Trojan Horse in Intensive Care Unit: Toxoplasma gondii

“…More sensitive and specific procedures such as polymerase chain reaction has been shown to be effective. 15 In conclusion, Toxoplasma seropositivity is common in ICU patients; thus toxoplasmosis should be considered in immunocompromised patients in the ICU and serological screening may aid to prevent severe toxoplasmosis.…”

“…gondii is the most common protozoan causing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals and has been associated with severe manifestations of immunosuppression in different clinical conditions such as lymphoreticular neoplasias, solid organ transplants and AIDS. 15 We investigated the seropositivity rate of toxoplasmosis in ICU patients, using ELISA to determine levels of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies on the first day of ICU stay. The present results revealed higher positivity rates for T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies in ICU patients (56.3%) compared with the controls (24.3%) with a statistically significant difference (Table 1).…”

“…fection and an increased titre of IgG antibodies might show reactivation. 15 Results compatible with reactivation or acute infection may influence the treatment protocol of the ICU patient.…”

Chagasic meningoencephalitis: case report of a recently included AIDS-defining illness in Brazil

“…The progressive increase of Chagas disease cases in urban populations, as a result of massive migration from rural areas to major cities, associated to the interiorization of the epidemic infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 7 , have created the conditions for emergence of a higher number of co-infection cases. Consequently, in the presence of severe immunodeficiency there is a possibility of chronic Chagasic infection reactivation, which is manifested by severe forms of neurological (75 -90% of cases) or myocardial (30% of cases) involvement 15,[18][19][20]24,25,27 .…”