An HIV-positive 33-year-old female presents with fever, chills, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes. She relates that she also has severe headaches and trouble with her vision. Routine, fungal, and viral cultures of the CSF and blood were negative. A stool specimen for ova and parasite examination was also negative. An ELISA test demonstrated a significant increase in titer for antibodies against a specific parasite. Which causative agent do you suspect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms and significant increase in antibody titer against a specific parasite in an HIV-positive patient suggest a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, which is caused by Toxoplasma gondii. This is consistent with the patient's severe headaches, trouble with vision, and the negative results for other tests, pointing towards a parasitic infection rather than bacterial, viral, or other parasitic causes.

An HIV-Positive 33-Year-Old Female Presents with Fever, Chills, Muscle Pain