Disseminated Toxoplasmosis in a Patient with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Toxoplasmosis is a well-recognized opportunistic disease in HIV-infected individuals that is caused by the reactivation of a previous infection, primarily in the central nervous system, during profound immunodeficiency. Toxoplasmosis has been described more rarely in patients with cancer and chemoth...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Infection 2009-12, Vol.37 (6), p.551-554
Main Authors: Herold, M. A, Kühne, R, Vosberg, M, Ostheeren-Michaelis, S, Vogt, P, Karrer, U
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autopsy
Cancer
Case Report
Case reports
Central nervous system
Chemotherapy
Family Medicine
Fatal Outcome
Female
General Practice
Histocytochemistry
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Immunodeficiency
Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use
Infection
Infectious Diseases
Internal Medicine
Lung - pathology
Lymphoma
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - complications
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - drug therapy
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - radiotherapy
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Microscopy
Middle Aged
Multiple Organ Failure
Myocardium - pathology
Pain
paresthesia
Radiation
Radiography
Remission
Spinal Cord - diagnostic imaging
Steroid hormones
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis - diagnosis
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Summary:Toxoplasmosis is a well-recognized opportunistic disease in HIV-infected individuals that is caused by the reactivation of a previous infection, primarily in the central nervous system, during profound immunodeficiency. Toxoplasmosis has been described more rarely in patients with cancer and chemotherapy. We report a case of a patient with a history of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma who developed pain and progressive paresthesia of the right arm 6 weeks after remission. Relapsing lymphoma was suspected, and steroid and radiation treatment were initiated, but the patient died 5 days later due to multiple organ failure. Autopsy revealed disseminated toxoplasmosis. This case illustrates that toxoplasmosis should be suspected in patients with neoplastic disease, especially lymphomas, who present with unexplained neurologic, pulmonary, or febrile symptoms during or after chemotherapy.
ISSN:0300-8126
1439-0973
DOI:10.1007/s15010-009-9007-5