Details
Disease Category
Gender
Age
33 years
Organ System/Discipline
Diagnosis
Cerebral toxoplasmosis
Clinical History
33-year-old woman with new-onset seizures. Neuroimaging shows ring-enhancing lesions in the left frontal lobe and right cerebellum. Subsequently, the patient was found to be HIV positive.
Case Discussion
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Initial infections are usually asymptomatic but there is reactivation of the latent infection following immunocompromise. Microscopically, in the CNS, there are necrotizing abscesses with abundant acute and chronic inflammatory cells. Intra- and extracellular Toxoplasma tachyzoites are usually abundant. Cysts containing large numbers of bradyzoites may occur close to necrotic areas. The presence of organisms can also be demonstrated by immunohistochemistry.
Image Contributors
Gao, A., Munoz, D.
Cite
Gao, A., Munoz, D. Brain, Toxoplasmosis. Digital Laboratory Medicine Library, Dept of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto. Published
. Accessed December 17, 2025. https://dev.dlml.cflabs.ca/image/brain-toxoplasmosis-lmp46559