Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Human African Trypanosomiasis: A Four-Year Follow-up Study in a Patient and Review of the Literature

Piet A. Kager Center for Infection and Immunity, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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Hans G. Schipper Center for Infection and Immunity, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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Jan Stam Center for Infection and Immunity, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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Charles B. L. M. Majoie Center for Infection and Immunity, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

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Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed up to 4 years after treatment in a patient with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection. Four years after treatment and cure abnormalities were still present, although the patient led a normal social life, without physical and mental impairments. The literature on MRI in human African trypanosomiasis is reviewed. The MRI is useful to discriminate between encephalitis induced by trypanosomiasis and post-treatment reactive encephalopathy, a severe and often fatal complication of treatment, in particular of treatment with arsenicals. The MRI is not useful for diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT).

Author Notes

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