Insights in Neurosurgery

Cervical Spinal Cord Toxoplasmosis in a Patient with AIDS: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background and Importance: Cerebral Toxoplasmosis is a very common cause of focal neurologic disorder in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients with cerebral lesions, but it seems to be a rare cause of spinal cord disease. If not treated and detected immediately, Toxoplasmosis may cause considerable mortality and morbidity.

Clinical Presentation: Here we present a case of spinal cord Toxoplasmosis with quadriparesis and acute deterioration that mimicked a neoplasm and resulted in surgical resection.

Conclusion: Detection of enhanced spinal cord lesion in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome(AIDS) patients demonstrate a diagnostic challenge. In these patients, brain imaging, preoperative knowledge of the immune status, serological and cerebrospinal fluid analysis are essential in narrowing the differential diagnosis. All Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected patients should be well educated about prophylaxis for Toxoplasmosis infection, and seropositive patients must receive primary or secondary prophylaxis. We carried out a comprehensive review of radiological findings, diagnosis and treatment of this unusual topic.

Author(s):

Ibrahim Sbeih, Montaser Bilbisi, Rami Darwazeh, Taha Al-gahoom and Hussam Abu-Farsakh

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