Toxoplasmic meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent host

Abstract

Central nervous system involvement due to toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent host is very rare. We report a case of an immunocompetent patient who presented with suspected tuberculous meningoencephalitis but showed no clinical response to antitubercular therapy. Later, toxoplasmic meningoencephalitis was proved by positive serological testing for toxoplasmosis, supportive magnetic resonance imaging findings of the brain and a therapeutic response to co-trimoxazole and prednisolone. Therefore, toxoplasmosis should be considered in cases of suspected tuberculous meningoencephalitis that fail to respond to specific therapy.

Epidemiology of infectious encephalitis, differences between a prospective study and hospital discharge data

“…The first was toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) which is a rare disease in non-immunocompromised patients. Only a few cases were reported in immunocompetent patients [36, 37] and seven cases of TE were recorded in the PMSI without any association with codes related to HIV or any other immunodeficiency. Similarly lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is rarely a cause of encephalitis; usually its clinical presentation is non-specific with flu-like symptoms [38].…”

Toxoplasma gondiiinfection, from predation to schizophrenia: can animal behaviour help us understand human behaviour?

“…Physical and behavioural changes in T. gondii-infected human secondary hosts may also be viewed as either 'general pathology' or 'by-product' (Appendix 1) and/or a potential spectrum between the two, depending on the particular characteristics, severity and trait altered. For instance, one may suspect that T. gondii-induced meningoencephalitis [including within immunocompetent adult hosts (Kaushik et al, 2005)] and brain cancer (Thomas et al, 2012) (Flegr, 2007;Flegr, 2013;Flegr et al, 2002;Flegr and Hrdy, 1994;Flegr et al, 2003;Webster, 2001). Even an equivalent of the fatal feline attraction phenomenon observed in infected rats (Berdoy et al, 2000) has been identified in humans, where T. gondii-positive humans showed altered questionnaire responses to the odours of the domestic cat (and of the brown hyena) (Flegr et al, 2011).…”

1995–2015: it is time to Celebrate 20 years of (intensive) Genotyping of Toxoplasma Gondii Strains

“…We have no data from the biggest country in the world, Russia, which is also home to the largest forest area in the world. We do not know the strains that infect the most populated area in the world, the Indian subcontinent, where toxoplasmosis can apparently be a serious problem for people [5,6]. Many strains were collected in animals from the anthropized areas of Brazil, but only a score of wild strains were collected from the Amazon forest.…”