Toxic ‘Toxo’ in the heart: Cardiac toxoplasmosis following a hematopoietic stem cell transplant- a case report

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a rare but potentially severe complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Toxoplasma gondii-associated cardiac involvement can cause myocarditis, pericarditis, arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure. Most cases with cardiac toxoplasmosis following BMT have been fatal and diagnosed at autopsy. We present an unfortunate case of sudden onset congestive heart failure symptoms and delayed post-transplant Toxoplasma PCR testing that ultimately led to the diagnosis of cardiac toxoplasmosis on autopsy in our patient.

Keywords

• Toxoplasmosis
• Cardiac
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplant
• Parasitic infection
• Autopsy
• PCR