TOXOPLASMA GONDII

Tissue parasite belongs to

family APICOMPLEXA.
It is non motile, intracellular.
It is present in a large variety of
animals (birds and humans, cat).

Morphology and structure, physiology
It is oval pear shaped, 2-3 diameter,
1 nucleus, non motile.
This is form of bradyzoite.
In intestinal cells of cats develop and
they pass to the tissue via the
bloodstream. This is oocyst and it is
present in cat feces and mature in the
environment in 3-4 days.


EPIDEMIOLOGY

HUMANS BECOME INFECTED FROM 2
SOURCES: MEAT OF INFECTED
ANIMALS AND
CAT CONTAMINATION.
TRANSPLACENTAL INFECTION CAN
OCCUR IN PREGNANCY .
CLINICAL SYNDROMES

It can be asymptomatic. The parasite
can multiply in many tissues but it have a
predilection for lung, heart, lymphoid
organs, the central nervous system, the
eye.


THE SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE DISEASE
CHILLS
FEVER
FATIGUE
HEADACHES
MYALGIA
CHORIORETINITIS.
THE SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC
DISEASE.
-LYMPHADENITIS
-RASH
-HEPATITIS
-MYOCARDITIS
-ENCEPHALOMYELITIS.

CONGENITAL INFECTION in infants infected in time of
pregnancy. In first semester abortion, stillbirth, severe
disease (epilepsy, encephalitis, microcephaly,
retardation, blindness, jaundice, rash, pneumonia.

The disease can develop later after the birth.
In immunocompromised like AIDS reactivation of
infection. The clinical syndrome is neurological
(hemiparesis, seizures, lethargy, confusion).
LABORATORY

serological diagnosis IgM (not effective in
AIDS persons)

microscopical diagnosis in tissue and body
fluids in biopsy specimens .

THERAPY
PYRIMETAMINE and SULFADIAZINE
4-6 weeks
Or
CLINDAMYCINE and PYRIMETAMINE.
CORTICOIDS for cerebral edema.
In pregnancy PYRIMETAMINE.is
teratogene.
CLINDAMYCINE and spiramycine