[Toxoplasmosis. The most common parasitic infection in Europe, but not fully understood and probably underdiagnosed].
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Recent advances in the epidemiology and life cycle of toxoplasmosis are reviewed. Cats play a key role. Toxoplasma has a coccidian-type entero-epithelial cycle with oocyst prodlction in the feline host. An extra-intestinal cycle occurs in both feline and non-feline hosts. The worldwide distribution and the public health significance of toxoplasmosis as a zoonosis is discussed, with particular reference to available data regarding Southern Africa.
Clinical examination of the eyes of mice with congenital toxoplasmosis provided a good indication of the extent of underlying histopathological damage in the eye, but was of little value for predicting neuropathological severity. Furthermore, the dye-test titre was not related either to the degree of ocular damage or to the severity of brain damage.
An ELISA for IgA toxoplasma antibodies was positive in 12 pregnant women who seroconverted during gestation. Positive IgA titers were also noted in 10 individuals with biopsy-proven toxoplasmic lymphadenitis; the highest titers were noted in the first months following onset of clinical signs. Toxoplasma IgA antibodies were also demonstrable in 8 of 9 infants/fetuses with congenital toxoplasma infection. In some, IgM antibodies could not be demonstrated. Among 20 patients with AIDS and biopsy-proven toxoplasmic encephalitis, only 1 had IgA antibodies. None of 20 individuals with chronic toxoplasma infection had demonstrable IgA antibodies. Demonstration of IgA toxoplasma antibodies should be useful for diagnosis of recently acquired infection and for diagnosis of the infection in the fetus and newborn.
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To examine the correlation between Toxoplasma gondii genotype and congenital human toxoplasmosis, the polymorphism of the microsatellite consisting of a dinucleotide (TG) repeat in the intron of the beta-tubulin gene was investigated by PCR. Thirty-four reference strains were studied, including 7 strains virulent in mice and 27 strains avirulent in mice. The seven virulent strains had a (TG)8 microsatellite, and the avirulent strains had a (TG)7 microsatellite. This confirms the dichotomy already observed for virulent and avirulent strains. Additionally, 37 samples of amniotic fluid from infected fetuses were tested. All of them had the (TG)7 microsatellite marker. This result confirms that most of the human cases of congenital toxoplasmosis are due to strains avirulent in mice. Nevertheless, their virulence in human fetuses was obvious, as numerous abnormalities were observed on ultrasonic examination. The new genetic marker is the first one directly used for typing T. gondii isolates without any bias due to cultivation of the parasite. This microsatellite marker is not sufficient to type the strains which are avirulent in mice; however, seeking more polymorphic microsatellites should be worthwhile to obtain new genetic markers for direct screening of biological samples.
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Toxoplasmosis was the most common cause of primary retinochoroiditis. The majority of cases of ocular toxoplasmosis were congenital. However, cases of acquired ocular toxoplasmosis have been reported. The clinical manifestations of congenital ocular toxoplasmosis were choroidal coloboma, strabismus, nystagmus, ptosis, microphthalmia, cataract and enophthalmia. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical presentation and visual outcome of 173 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis at Dr Sardjito Hospital, Dr Yap Eye Hospital, and private practice during the last six years. A total of 173 subjects were studied--98 males and 75 females. The ages at which first diagnosis was established ranged from 3 months to 68 years, frequently in young adults and occurring mostly in students. The most-reported chief complaint was blurred vision in 70.5% and floaters in 6.1% of cases. The most frequent clinical manifestations were chorioretinitis (71.2%), macular scars (22.4%), squint (6.4%), congenital cataract (2.8%), nystagmus (6.4%) and atrophic optic papilla (2.8%). Bilateral involvement was found in 32.4% of all patients. The therapeutic outcome showed improvement, especially visual acuity in acute cases (25.6%). However, visual acuity categorized as blindness was 13.9%. The results of the study imply that suddenly blurred vision in the quiet eye in the young adult, squint, and nystagmus in children could be chorioretinal inflammation and scar caused by Toxoplasma gondii.
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