Ocular findings in Congenital Toxoplasomsis:

• 79% patients have chorioretinal scars *Scar may involve macula with significant decrease in visual acuity
• scar may involve periheral area with decreased acuity by dragging of macula

Normal Retina

Chorioretinal scar in congenital toxoplasmosis

Other posterior ocular complications include:

• retinal attachment and active chorioretinitis in 10%
• Optic atrophy in 20%
• Other findings may include: cataracts, microphtalmia, microcornea, nystagmus.

Classic triad of findings in congenital toxoplasmosis includes:

1. chorioretinitis
2. hydrocephalus, and
3. intracranial calcifications.

See also: Toxoplasmosis- AAPOS

What are the symptoms of newly acquired toxoplasmosis in an adult?

More than 80% of newly infected persons experience no symptoms, and are unlikely to be aware of the infection.

Symptoms may occur following an incubation period of one to two weeks after exposure and include:

*mild fever

*swollen glands

*malaise

*muscle and/or joint pain

*headache

*sore throat, and

*skin rash.

*Eye symptoms may include blurred vision or floaters during active disease.

The diagnosis can be confirmed by detecting antibodies to Toxoplasma in the blood. Swelling of the liver or spleen may be noted, and in rare cases the lungs, brain, liver, or heart may be involved. The condition usually resolves without treatment within a few months.

See also: CDC- Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis

Source of Infection in humans:

1. Eating under cooked meat of animals harboring tissue cysts
2. Consuming food or water contaminated with cat feces or by contaminated environmental samples (such as fecal-contaminated soil or changing the litter box of a pet cat)
3. Blood transfusion or organ transplantation
4. Transplacentally from mother to fetus

Sources of T. gondi infection

Life cycle of T. gondi