TOXOPLASMOSIS AFTER HEART-TRANSPLANTATION - DIAGNOSIS BY ENDOMYOCARDIAL BIOPSY

Protozoal infections such as toxoplasmosis are known complications in heart transplant recipients. Diagnosis of the disease is often difficu lt. This article describes the course of a patient who had a febrile i llness with leukocytosis and neurologic disorders after heart transpla ntation; all microbiologic and serologic tests of the peripheral blood and the cerebrospinal fluid failed to identify the responsible pathog en. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii was finally diagnosed by endomyoc ardial biopsy. We conclude that in heart transplant recipients with in fections of unclear origin and neurologic disorders, endomyocardial bi opsy may be helpful in the diagnosis, especially in cases of toxoplasm osis.