Tumor-like lesion due to Chagas' disease in a patient with lymphocytic leukemia

A 73 year-old white male, living in the interior of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in central Bra­zil, after an initial diagnosis of sinusitis was transferred to the neurology service with a 3-day evolution of intracranial hypertension. Exams showed lymphocytic leukemia and a tumor-like lesion, either an expanding inflammatory process such as an abscess or a neoplasm. Treatment with Ceftriaxone and Decadron was started and intracranial hypertension was controlled. Methotrexate was injected on the occasion of the next puncture considering a possible leukemia infiltration. Flagellate forms of T. cruzi were observed in the CSF and treatment with Benznidazole was started. After 4 days the CSF presented fractionated forms of trypomastigotes. The protein level was 27%. Signs of intracranial hypertension ceased. Tomography and magnetic resonance images showed an important reduction of the tumor-like lesion. The clinical condition of the patient improved.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Salgado,Pedro Rippel, Gorski,Anthony Guerra, Aleixo,Andréa Ribeiro, Barros,Eugênio Oliveira Martins de
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 1996
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46651996000400008
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!