TOXOPLASMOSIS

Most people affected never develop signs and symptom. In some people, Toxoplasmosis may cause flu-like symptoms, including:

• Body aches
• Headache
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes

In people with weakened immune systems like those who have HIV/AIDS, undergone chemotherapy or organ transplant, symptoms may include:

• Headache
• Confusion
• Poor coordination
• Seizures
• Lung problems that may resemble tuberculosis or Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, a common opportunistic infection that occurs in people with AIDS
• Blurred vision caused by severe inflammation of your retina (ocular toxoplasmosis)

Many early infections end in stillbirth or miscarriage. Infants who survive are likely to be born with serious problems, such as:

• Seizures
• An Enlarged Liver and Spleen
• Yellowing of the Skin and Whites of the Eyes (Jaundice)
• Severe Eye Infections

DIAGNOSIS

Toxoplasmosis often resembles symptoms of other disease. For infants, screening would be of great help to identify the presence of infection. Testing can be done to pregnant women or infants.

Some of the tests include:

• Blood Test– Check for antibodies to the parasite in your blood.
• Amniocentesis- The doctor uses a fine needle to remove a small amount of fluid from the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the fetus (amniotic sac).
• Ultrasound scan- This test uses sound waves to produce images of your baby in the womb. However, it does not detect presence of the virus but it show whether your baby has certain signs, such as fluid buildup in the brain (hydrocephalus)

Other tests are used in severe cases, including:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This uses a magnetic field and radio (electromagnetic) waves to create cross-sectional images of your head and brain.
• Brain biopsy. In rare cases, especially if you don’t respond to treatment, a neurosurgeon may take a small sample of brain tissue. The sample is then analyzed in a laboratory to check for toxoplasmosis cysts.

TREATMENT

To treat toxoplasmosis, your doctor may prescribe the following drugs:

• Pyrimethamine (Daraprim). This medication, typically used for malaria, is a folic acid antagonist. It may prevent your body from absorbing the B vitamin folate (folic acid, vitamin B-9), especially when you take high doses over a long period. For that reason, your doctor may recommend taking additional folic acid. Other potential side effects of pyrimethamine include bone marrow suppression and liver toxicity.
• Sulfadiazine. This antibiotic is used with pyrimethamine to treat toxoplasmosis.

Most healthy individuals that infected usually don’t require treatment.

In treating people with HIV/AIDS, the following may be used:

• Pyrimethamin, Sulfadiazine with Folinic Acid (Leucovorin)
• An alternative is Pyrimethamine taken with Clindamycin (Cleocin)

In treating pregnant women and babies, the following drugs may be prescribed:

• Antibiotic Spiramycin (If infection occurred before the 16th week of pregnancy)
• Pyrimethamine, Sulfadiazine and Folinic Acid such as Leucovorin (If infection occurred after the 16th week of pregnancy or if unborn child has toxoplasmosis)