Is the level of varicella-zoster virus IgG associated with symptomatic status of genital herpes simplex virus infection? A case-control study.

Background: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a common infection, affecting the majority of the population by age of 50. Recurrent symptomatic outbreaks, experienced by a minority, have significant psychological and psychosexual effects. The varicella zoster virus (VZV), resembling HSV, shows potential for a functional cure via vaccination.

Fulminant diffuse cerebral toxoplasmosis as the first manifestation of HIV infection.

Individuals with HIV may present to the emergency department with HIV-related or HIV-unrelated conditions, toxicity associated with antiretroviral therapy or primary HIV infection (seroconversion). In individuals with HIV infection, central nervous system toxoplasmosis occurs from reactivation of disease, especially when the CD4+ count is <100 cells/μL, whereas in those taking immunosuppressive therapy, this can be either due to newly acquired or reactivated latent infection. It is a rare occurrence in immune-competent patients.

Missed opportunity to diagnose HIV with pneumonia as its sequela.

pneumonia (PCP) is an opportunistic infection of the lung occurring primarily in patients with HIV infection with a CD4 cell count <200 mm, solid organ transplant recipients and those taking immunosuppressive therapy. The 1980s heralded the HIV pandemic, turning PCP into a major medical and public health problem worldwide. Manifestations of unusual infections such as pneumocystis and Kaposi's sarcoma, were, after all, the first signs of the emerging pandemic to be recognised and may indeed, be the presenting feature of a previously undiagnosed HIV infection.

Meta-analysis of three case controlled studies and an ecological study into the link between cryptogenic epilepsy and chronic toxoplasmosis infection.

Unlabelled: A meta-analysis was performed on three case controlled studies which examined the relationship between latent toxoplasmosis gondii infection in the immunocompetent host and cryptogenic epilepsy. Further comparison was also made by examining the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis rates for 17 various countries, cities or regions against the prevalence rates for epilepsy in those regions.

Results: The results for the meta-analysis showed a log-odds ratio of 4.