A Latin American Brain Lesion

A 31-year-old man with HIV presents with headache and a Brain mass. Discover the vector-borne protozoa responsible for this rare neurological complication.

Triatomine bug


A 31-year-old man from El Salvador, recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, presented to the emergency department with headache, confusion, gait instability, and fever. Brain MRI showed a large mass in the right parietal and occipital lobes. Brain aspirate identified Trypanosoma cruzi. What vector is likely responsible for transmission of this protozoa to this patient?

What is the most likely diagnosis?

Anopheles mosquito
Triatomine bug
Ixodes tick
Phlebotomine sand fly
Tsetse fly

Brain Abscess, Chagas Disease, HIV, Triatomine bug, Trypanosoma cruzi

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