CNS toxoplasmosis presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus in patients of retroviral disease--a case series

CNS toxoplasmosis presenting as hydrocephalus is a very rare entity. We present three cases of HIV positive patients whose brain imaging revealed hydrocephalus and who improved with anti toxoplasma medication along with intravenous steroids and did not require any CSF shunting procedures. The mechan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMedical journal of Malaysia Vol. 67; no. 2; pp. 214 - 216
Main Authors Basavaprabhu, A, Soundarya, M, Deepak, M, Satish, R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Malaysia 01.04.2012
Subjects
Adult
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - diagnosis
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - drug therapy
Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
Diagnosis, Differential
Humans
Hydrocephalus - diagnosis
Hydrocephalus - drug therapy
Male
Neuroimaging
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral - diagnosis
Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral - drug therapy
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Summary:CNS toxoplasmosis presenting as hydrocephalus is a very rare entity. We present three cases of HIV positive patients whose brain imaging revealed hydrocephalus and who improved with anti toxoplasma medication along with intravenous steroids and did not require any CSF shunting procedures. The mechanism of hydrocephalus in CNS toxoplasmosis is usually due to compression of CSF outflow pathway by ring enhancing lesions but even in their absence hydrocephalus can be rarely seen due to ventriculitis. Hence in HIV positive patients with unexplained hydrocephalus CNS toxoplasmosis should be considered and such patients if started on treatment early have a good prognosis without requiring neurosurgical intervention.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Case Study-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-4
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ObjectType-Report-1
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ISSN:0300-5283