Abnormal Development - Toxoplasmosis: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:59, 25 July 2011

Introduction

Toxoplasma tachyzoites

The causal agent of Toxoplasmosis is the protist Toxoplasma gondii. This unicellular eukaryote is a member of the phylum Apicomplexa which includes other parasites responsible for a variety of diseases (malaria, cryptosporidiosis). The diagnosis and timing of an infection are diagnostically based on serological tests.

Recent findings suggest that pre-pregnancy immunization against toxoplasmosis may not protect against reinfection by atypical strains.

Historic Embryology
1915 Congenital Cardiac Disease \| 1917 Frequency of Anomalies in Human Embryos \| 1920 Hydatiform Degeneration Tubal Pregnancy \| 1921 Anencephalic Embryo \| 1921 Rat and Man \| 1966 Congenital Malformations

Some Recent Findings

Toxoplasmosis and horse meat, france^[1] "Toxoplasma gondii parasites are obligate intracellular apicomplexans that can infect virtually all warm-blooded animals; felids are definitive hosts. The most common sources of human infection are ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or of food or water contaminated with oocysts shed by felids and transplacental transmission. Acquired toxoplasmosis in immunocompetent humans is frequently asymptomatic but is associated with cervical or occipital lymphadenopathy in approximately 10% of patients. Severe or fatal outcomes for immunocompetent patients have been attributed to the virulence of specific T. gondii genotypes (1). We describe 3 cases of toxoplasmosis caused by atypical strains probably acquired by from ingestion of raw horse meat imported from Canada and Brazil."
Seroprevalence of TORCH infections in women of childbearing age in Croatia.^[2] "During 2005-2009, a seroepidemiological study was carried out in Croatia to define the population susceptible to common TORCH agents among pregnant and non-pregnant women of childbearing age. The IgG seroprevalence was 29.1% forT. gondii, 94.6% for rubella, 75.3% for cytomegalovirus (CMV), 78.7% for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and 6.8% for HSV-2. Acute toxoplasmosis and CMV infection (positive IgM antibodies with low IgG avidity) were documented in 0.25% and 0.09% women, respectively. IgM prevalence was 1.2% for both HSV-1 and HSV-2. None of the participants showed acute rubella infection. Seropositivity to T. gondii and HSV-2 varied significantly between age groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.036, respectively). Women residing in rural regions showed a significantly higher seroprevalence rate for T. gondii, CMV, and HSV-1 than urban women (T. gondii: 44.0% vs. 25.4%, p < 0.001; CMV: 85.0% vs. 73.1%, p = 0.018; HSV-1: 86.0% vs. 76.4%, p = 0.041)."

Toxoplasmosis Lifecycle

Toxoplasma Tachyzoites

Ocular Toxoplasmosis

Clinical episodes of ocular toxoplasmosis can represent either acquire toxoplasmosis after birth or a reactivation of an infection that was acquired in utero.

Ocular toxoplasmosis is the commonest identifiable cause of posterior uveitis.

Links: PubMed Health - Uveitis

References

↑ <pubmed>21762609</pubmed>
↑ <pubmed>20476874</pubmed>

Reviews

Articles

Search Pubmed

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2026, February 27) Embryology Abnormal Development - Toxoplasmosis. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Abnormal_Development_-_Toxoplasmosis

What Links Here?

[1] <pubmed>21762609</pubmed>

[2] <pubmed>20476874</pubmed>

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 Clinical episodes of ocular toxoplasmosis can represent either  acquire toxoplasmosis after birth or a reactivation of an infection that was acquired in utero.
+Ocular toxoplasmosis is the commonest identifiable cause of posterior uveitis.
+:'''Links:''' [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002000 PubMed Health - Uveitis]
 ==References==