Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Contributors
- Preface
- Part I Clinical syndromes: general
- Part II Clinical syndromes: head and neck
- Part III Clinical syndromes: eye
- Part IV Clinical syndromes: skin and lymph nodes
- Part V Clinical syndromes: respiratory tract
- Part VI Clinical syndromes: heart and blood vessels
- Part VII Clinical syndromes: gastrointestinal tract, liver, and abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical syndromes: genitourinary tract
- Part IX Clinical syndromes: musculoskeletal system
- Part X Clinical syndromes: neurologic system
- Part XI The susceptible host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial infection
- Part XIV Infections related to surgery and trauma
- Part XV Prevention of infection
- Part XVI Travel and recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific organisms: bacteria
- Part XIX Specific organisms: spirochetes
- Part XX Specific organisms: Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific organisms: Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific organisms: fungi
- Part XXIII Specific organisms: viruses
- Part XXIV Specific organisms: parasites
- 195 Intestinal roundworms
- 196 Tissue nematodes
- 197 Schistosomes and other trematodes
- 198 Tapeworms (cestodes)
- 199 Toxoplasma
- 200 Malaria
- 201 Human babesiosis
- 202 Trypanosomiases and leishmaniases
- 203 Intestinal protozoa
- 204 Extraintestinal amebic infection
- Part XXV Antimicrobial therapy: general considerations
- Index
- References
199 - Toxoplasma
from Part XXIV - Specific organisms: parasites
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 April 2015
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Contributors
- Preface
- Part I Clinical syndromes: general
- Part II Clinical syndromes: head and neck
- Part III Clinical syndromes: eye
- Part IV Clinical syndromes: skin and lymph nodes
- Part V Clinical syndromes: respiratory tract
- Part VI Clinical syndromes: heart and blood vessels
- Part VII Clinical syndromes: gastrointestinal tract, liver, and abdomen
- Part VIII Clinical syndromes: genitourinary tract
- Part IX Clinical syndromes: musculoskeletal system
- Part X Clinical syndromes: neurologic system
- Part XI The susceptible host
- Part XII HIV
- Part XIII Nosocomial infection
- Part XIV Infections related to surgery and trauma
- Part XV Prevention of infection
- Part XVI Travel and recreation
- Part XVII Bioterrorism
- Part XVIII Specific organisms: bacteria
- Part XIX Specific organisms: spirochetes
- Part XX Specific organisms: Mycoplasma and Chlamydia
- Part XXI Specific organisms: Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma
- Part XXII Specific organisms: fungi
- Part XXIII Specific organisms: viruses
- Part XXIV Specific organisms: parasites
- 195 Intestinal roundworms
- 196 Tissue nematodes
- 197 Schistosomes and other trematodes
- 198 Tapeworms (cestodes)
- 199 Toxoplasma
- 200 Malaria
- 201 Human babesiosis
- 202 Trypanosomiases and leishmaniases
- 203 Intestinal protozoa
- 204 Extraintestinal amebic infection
- Part XXV Antimicrobial therapy: general considerations
- Index
- References
Summary
Toxoplasmosis, caused by the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Although it has long been recognized as a serious congenital disease, it is only with the advent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the increased use of immunosuppressive therapy that toxoplasmosis has reached epidemic proportions.
Humans are incidental hosts in the life cycle of T. gondii. Acute infection occurs via ingestion of meats or water contaminated with tissue cysts or tachyzoites or by handling cats, the definitive host. Once the human host develops an adequate immune response, tissue cysts are formed and a chronic or latent infection ensues. Antibodies against T. gondii will be present in serum for life. When a chronically infected person becomes immunocompromised, particularly with defects in cell-mediated immunity, devastating reactivation of the latent infection may occur.
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS AND DIAGNOSIS
In the immunocompetent host, primary infection is often asymptomatic. Acute infection can mimic the symptoms of mononucleosis with a common manifestation of cervical or occipital lymphadenopathy. The lymph nodes usually are nontender, are nonsuppurative, and persist for less than 4 to 6 weeks. Infrequently, toxoplasmosis can lead to myocarditis, hepatitis, polymyositis, pneumonitis, and encephalitis.
Toxoplasmosis in the immunocompromised patient is most commonly manifested by toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE), usually alone but sometimes as part of a multiorgan infection. Isolated organ involvement without central ner- vous system (CNS) disease is uncommon. In the AIDS patient, TE usually develops when the CD4 lymphocyte count falls below 100/mm3, although the risk of developing overt infection begins when CD4 counts fall below 200/mm3.
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- Information
- Clinical Infectious Disease , pp. 1279 - 1284Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2015