Fetal death as a result of placental immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome

J Infect. 2010 Jul;61(2):185-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2010.03.026. Epub 2010 Mar 31.

Abstract

A 26-year-old woman was HIV-1 diagnosed at 11 weeks of pregnancy (CD4 = 7/mm(3), HIV-1 RNA = 108,000 copies/mL) with immunity against toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma IgG = 1800 UI/mL). A fetal death was diagnosed 7 weeks after starting HAART (CD4 = 185/mm(3), HIV-1 RNA = 391 copies/mL) with a positive Toxoplasma PCR on fetal tissues and amniotic fluid. The absence of severe toxoplasmic foetopathy, the very exaggerated and atypical placental inflammation and the immune restoration context led to the diagnosis of placental IRIS associated with Toxoplasma gondii reactivation. This outcome remains undescribed and could represent an issue in resource-limited settings where HIV-pregnant patients are often severely immunodeficient and infected with opportunistic pathogens.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amniotic Fluid / parasitology
  • Anti-HIV Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / adverse effects
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • DNA, Protozoan / isolation & purification
  • Female
  • Fetal Death*
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome / complications
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Placenta / pathology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / drug therapy*
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Toxoplasmosis / complications*
  • Toxoplasmosis / diagnosis*
  • Toxoplasmosis / parasitology
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • DNA, Protozoan
  • RNA, Viral