Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de Cordoba · Published 2026-06-26 · DOI 10.31053/1853.0605.v83.n2.48628
Salwa Alhammadi, Tianyu Zhang, Aliya Szpindel, Márcio Luís Duarte, Leonardo Furtado Freitas
A 73-year-old immunocompromised woman with a history of heart transplant presented with cognitive decline and left-sided neurological deficits. Imaging revealed atypical brain lesions. Initial biopsy was inconclusive. Despite extensive infectious workup, diagnosis remained unclear until a second brain biopsy confirmed central nervous system toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus (CMV) encephalitis. Treatment with antiparasitic and antiviral agents was initiated, but the patient’s condition deteriorated, leading to palliative care. This case highlights diagnostic challenges in immunocompromised patients, the importance of considering atypical presentations of CNS infections, and the potential necessity of repeat biopsies when initial evaluations are non-diagnostic.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Alhammadi, S., Zhang, T., Szpindel, A., et al. (2026). A double threat. Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de Cordoba. https://doi.org/10.31053/1853.0605.v83.n2.48628