Toxoplasmosis and heart transplantation

Our experience of toxoplasmosis in a series of 33 heart transplant cases was reviewed. One fatal infection was observed in a "mismatched" seronegative recipient of a heart from a seropositive donor. Two similar mismatched cases were given pyrimethamine prophylaxis and remained well. One organ recipient was found to have primary toxoplasmosis during the immediate preoperative assessment. The patient was treated with conventional therapy and remained asymptomatic in the postoperative period. Secondary reactivation of chronic infection and diagnostic confusion caused by passively acquired antibody associated with blood transfusion were not recorded. False reactions were noted in dye and latex agglutination test results.