PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “TOXOPLASMOSIS, OCULAR”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 973 records · Page 54Linked to original sources

IgA antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in human tears.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether mucosal immune responses directed against the ubiquitous parasite Toxoplasma gondii can be detected in tears of healthy humans. METHODS: Nonstimulated tears and blood were obtained from 62 healthy humans (mean age, 35 +/- 10 [SD] years). Serum anti-T. gondii immunoglobulin titers were determined by Sabin-Feldman (SF) dye test. Western blot analysis was used to compare the anti-T. gondii repertoire in tears and serum, and antibody avidity was determined by urea elution. Diluted tear and serum samples were incubated with the intact parasite to determine whether the antibodies found in tears and serum are capable of binding to surface exposed antigens of T. gondii. RESULTS: Eighty-one percent of the individuals tested had an anti-T. gondii IgA response in their tears, whereas only 23% had evidence of systemic immunity against the parasite. There was no apparent relation between chronic infection and presence of anti-T. gondii IgA in tears. Characteristically, the antigens recognized by the IgA antibodies in tears were often limited to at least one of four antigens with molecular weights of 74, 70, 49, and 34 kDa. The avidity of the anti-T. gondii IgA antibodies in tears was similar to the avidity of serum IgG antibodies. IgA antibodies directed against the 49- and 74-kDa antigens recognized epitopes exposed on the surface of the parasite. CONCLUSIONS: A major finding of this study is that tears of many individuals, chronically infected or not, contain IgA antibodies against T. gondii. It is not known whether these frequently observed antibody responses are the result of common mucosal immune responses against T. gondii or represent the natural antibody repertoire.

Adult↗

Acute iridocyclitis in a patient with AIDS diagnosed as toxoplasmosis by PCR.

PURPOSE: To study the etiology of an acute iridocyclitis in a patient with AIDS using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of aqueous humor. METHODS: Case report describing a patient diagnosed with toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis in his left eye. He stopped his treatment after three weeks and subsequently developed an acute iridocyclitis without chorioretinitis in the fellow eye. Anterior chamber paracentesis was performed and aqueous humor was assayed by PCR. RESULTS: PCR of the aqueous humor showed positivity for Toxoplasma gondii. The iridocyclitis responded to topical dexamethasone and oral treatment with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. CONCLUSION: PCR is an effective method to diagnose toxoplasmic iridocyclitis in a patient with AIDS.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

[Role of chronic toxoplasmosis infection in pathology of the nervous system and eyes in adults].

The authors conducted a statistical correlation of frequencies of neurological and ophthalmological pathology in a group of patients with different disorders of the nervous system, where 556 had positive and 788 negative seroallergical reactions to toxoplasmosis. It was possible to establish that most of the neurological and ophthalmological symptoms of toxoplasmosis were significantly more frequent in individuals of the first group, except patients with disseminated sclerosis, myopathy and myasthenia.

Adolescent↗

[Uveitis in patients with HIV infection].

We carried out a retrospective analysis of 581 patients with uveitis seen over an 11-year period, to determine the prevalence of HIV infection in these patients and to look for associated diseases and the possible causes of uveitis in HIV-infected patients. All patients underwent routine eye examination and most also underwent a general examination and complementary tests. The prevalence of HIV infection was 14.3% (89 patients). Anterior uveitis (62%) was the most frequent, followed by posterior uveitis (22%), panuveitis (12%) and intermediate uveitis (4%). Associated conditions or causes were identified in 88% of the HIV-infected patients, with herpes zoster ophthalmicus the most frequent (43 %), followed by tuberculosis (16%), CMV infection (12%) and toxoplasmosis (10%). Thus, uveitis in HIV-infected patients is frequently associated with opportunistic infections.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Infectious uveitis: a review.

Uveitis may be caused by infectious or non-infectious disorders. Although most cases of uveitis are considered to be immune-mediated disorders, certain forms of uveitis are caused by infectious agents. The disease may become latent, smoldering and chronic and may mimic other causes of auto-immune uveitis. While auto-immune or immune-mediated disorders causing uveitis respond to steroids or immunosuppressive therapy, such treatment may prove to be devastating in certain infectious diseases causing uveitis. It is, therefore, highly desirable to identify cases of chronic uveitis caused by infectious diseases in order to initiate specific and appropriate antimicrobial therapy. The diagnosis of infectious uveitis can be established in most cases based on age and sex of the individual, mode of onset the morphology of the lesion, the laterality, and the association with other systemic infectious diseases. Laboratory tests in these disorders and imaging techniques are used to refine the diagnosis. In this review, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections leading to uveitis are discussed. Clinical findings, laboratory diagnosis and management are elucidated.

Adolescent↗

Intravitreal clindamycin and dexamethasone for toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To present a new method for the management of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC). METHODS: The patients were females ranging in age from 10 to 61 years (average 26.5). Four eyes of 4 patients were treated with intravitreal injections of 1.0 mg clindamycin in 0.1 mL and 1.0 mg of dexamethasone in 0.1 mL. The injections were given under general or peribulbar anesthesia. Three patients continued one systemic drug. Follow-up ranged from 11 to 26 months (mean 17.5). RESULTS: A favorable response was noted in each eye within two weeks after the intravitreal injections. All patients required 2 to 4 intravitreal injections in the affected eye for the control of TRC. Visual acuity improved in each eye. The disc and macula were preserved in all eyes. Recurrence was noted in one case, which responded to a repeated intravitreal injection of clindamycin and dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal injections of clindamycin and dexamethasone are well tolerated and may offer an additional strategy to treat TRC in patients who are unable to afford or tolerate systemic therapy, or whose disease progresses despite systemic therapy.

Adult↗

Cryotreatment of toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis.

Cryotherapy was utilized in 5 eyes of 4 patients with recurrent toxoplasmosis retinochoroiditis. Each patient showed slow gradual improvement in vision over several months following cryotreatment where previous medical management had failed. No recurrences have been noted during the follow-up period of 3 months to 3 years.

Adult↗

Serologic prevalence of selected infectious diseases in cats with uveitis.

Serologic evidence of infection by Toxoplasma gondii, feline leukemia virus, feline coronaviruses, or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is commonly found in cats with uveitis. Serum samples from 124 cats with uveitis were assayed by use of ELISA for the detection of T gondii-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and circulating antigens (Ag), as well as an ELISA for feline leukemia virus Ag, an ELISA for antibodies to FIV, and an indirect fluorescent antibody assay for antibodies to feline coronaviruses. Serologic evidence of infection by 1 or more of the infectious agents was detected in 83.1% of the samples. Serologic evidence of T gondii infection, defined as the detection of T gondii-specific IgM, IgG, or Ag in serum, was found in 74.2% of the samples. The seroprevalence of T gondii infection was significantly greater in cats with uveitis than in healthy cats from a similar geographic area. Serum samples from cats with serologic evidence of both T gondii and FIV infections were more likely to contain T gondii-specific IgM without IgG than samples from cats with serologic evidence of T gondii infection alone. Cats with serologic evidence of FIV and T gondii coinfection had a higher T gondii-specific IgM titer geometric mean and a lower T gondii-specific IgG titer geometric mean than did cats with serologic evidence of T gondii infection alone. Serologic evaluation for T gondii infection should include assays that detect IgM, IgG, and Ag, particularly in cats coinfected with FIV.

Animals↗

Medical treatment of retinal infections in patients with AIDS.

The Council on Scientific Affairs of the California Medical Association presents the following inventory of items of progress in ophthalmology. Each item, in the judgment of a panel of knowledgeable physicians, has recently become reasonably firmly established, both as to scientific fact and important clinical significance. The items are presented in simple epitome, and an authoritative reference, both to the item itself and to the subject as a whole, is generally given for those who may be unfamiliar with a particular item. The purpose is to assist busy practitioners, students, researchers, and scholars to stay abreast of these items of progress in ophthalmology that have recently achieved a substantial degree of authoritative acceptance, whether in their own field of special interest or another. The items of progress listed below were selected by the Advisory Panel to the Section on Ophthalmology of the California Medical Association, and the summaries were prepared under its direction.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗