New-onset seizures in patients with immunodeficiency virus infection in Bobo-Dioulasso Hospital (Burkina Faso)

Seizures are common in advanced stages of immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV-infected outpatients and inpatients in the national hospital in Bobo-Dioulasso among whom seizures occurred had been recruited over four years. There were mainly male (30/13) with an average age of 35 years with extremes ranging from 22 to 60 years. New-onset generalised seizures occurred in all cases of cryptococcal meningitis or partial motor secondary generalised in 64% among patients with suspected cerebral toxoplasmosis due to the efficiency of the treatment of the antitoxoplasmic proof. Identified causes such as suspected cerebral toxoplasmosis (65%), suspected tuberculous meningitis (7%) as CSF culture is not available, cryptococcal meningitis (16%) were found in this study. In four cases among 43 patients, no identified causes could be determined. CD4 lymphocytes count which was available in 24 patients was under 200/41 in 74% of the cases. This study indicates clearly that seizures in young adults are strongly associated with focal brain lesions and cerebral toxoplasmosis is becoming an important cause of seizure in tropical area. This should imply a screening of toxoplasmosis with new-onset seizure in young people.