Cerebral toxoplasmosis in the twenty-first century.

BACKGROUND

Cerebral toxoplasmosis is a common opportunistic infection in people with HIV (PWH), associated with high morbidity and mortality. It is unclear how clinical characteristics, treatment response and long-term clinical outcomes in PWH with cerebral toxoplasmosis have changed due to improved treatment of HIV.

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective observational cohort study of PWH with cerebral toxoplasmosis included patients over almost 25 years.

RESULTS

Sixty-three eligible patients were identified. Most patients were late presenters presenting with headache and neurological symptoms. Overall survival was 79% over a mean follow up of 15 years. Seventy-three percent of deaths occurred within the first year after diagnosis. Almost 10% of patients experienced residual impairments.

CONCLUSION

An earlier diagnosis of HIV reduces the incidence of cerebral toxoplasmosis due to timely initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and anti- Toxoplasma prophylaxis. High index of suspicion by clinicians is vital to timely start anti- Toxoplasma therapy. If treated correctly and timely, overall survival is high.