Usefulness of the detection of Toxoplasma gondii antigens in AIDS patients

Abstract

Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is a mayor cause of central nervous system infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Toxoplasma antibodies were detected in 56 of 79 patients with AIDS (71%), in the present study. Fourteen out of 57 seropositive patients developed TF (25%) and had Toxoplasma gondii antigen detected in their urine. For this, most of them received an effective therapy, with the subsequent disappearance of the symptoms and discontinuity of excretion of the T. gondii antigens. Our results suggest that the monitoring of T. gondii antigen in the urine of AIDS patients may be useful to decide on the proper time for therapy, as well as to avoid the beginning of neurologic signs in these patients.

Some Aspects of Protozoan Infections in Immunocompromised Patients: A Review

“…However, its value in routine clinical practice is still controversial due to the divergent results obtained with animals models and in human infection (Araujo & Remington 1980, Dannemann et al 1991, Fachado et al 1994, Hafid et al 1995, Letillois et al 1995.…”

Susceptibility to Toxoplasmic Retinochoroiditis Is Associated with Hla Alleles Reported to Be Implicated with Rapid Progression to Aids

“…In Brazil, the frequency of Toxoplasma gondii infection is high, and in patients with AIDS reaches values as high as 71% [10]. Then, HLA markers associated with rapid progression to AIDS may represent additional risk factors for the development of retinochoroiditis in the presence of T gondii infection, suggesting that these patients might be more susceptible to this ocular disease when compared with patients without these markers.…”

“…In some areas of Southern Brazil, the prevalence of antibodies against T gondii may be as high as 71% [10,11].…”

Toxoplasma encephalitis in AIDS patients in São Paulo during 1988 and 1991. A comparative retrospective analysis

“…Serially rising specific T. gondii antibodies could suggest the diagnosis (DEROUIN et al, 1996), but they are absent in 3-16% of patients, probably due to acute infections in immunocompromised patients (HAVERKOS, 1987). Antigen detection in CSF and serum (HAFID et al, 1995) or urine (FACHADO et al, 1994) has been experimentally tested but is not available in clinical practice. T. gondii DNA is detected by PCR in 60-70% of patients, varying with biological source, with some falsepositive results, due to probably rupturing cysts without disease or technical problems (EGGERS et al, 1995).…”