A Parasitic Infection of Concern in Pregnancy or When Immunocompromised
Toxoplasmosisis a disease triggered by the parasiteToxoplasma gondii.
Thisparasiteis a tiny single-celled organism called aprotozoan.
People can acquire it from undercooked meat andexposure to cat feces.
Illustration by Joules Garcia for Verywell Health
In healthy individuals, this infection doesnt usually do lasting damage and often shows no symptoms.
It forms bubbles in the tissue called cysts that house the parasite.
This article will cover the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of toxoplasmosis.
Illustration by Joules Garcia for Verywell Health
Types of Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis may be mild or severe.
More than 40 million people in the United States have toxoplasmosis, but they dont all get sick.
However, many people with toxoplasmosis dont have any symptoms.
People with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV, have more severe symptoms.
This can include brain and eye damage.
People with toxoplasmosis may have the following:
How Long Does Toxoplasma Last?
Because these cysts hide the parasite in the body, toxoplasmosis never really goes away.
Symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis may not appear until months or even years after birth.
Newborns may appear healthy but have symptoms later in life.
Congenital toxoplasmosis can result in a larger or smaller head than is typical.
Causes
Toxoplasmosis is sparked by the parasiteToxoplasma gondii.
In the wild, toxoplasma is transmitted between rodents and cats and birds.
Housecats can acquire it if they venture outside.
Farm or game animals can acquire toxoplasma in their environment.
Humans can acquire toxoplasmosis from exposure to the parasites eggs in their environment.
The parasite eggs can be in the soil of, for instance, a home garden.
While outside, the cat may come into contact with toxoplasma and acquire an infection.
Once infected, the cat has eggs of the parasite in their feces.
Cleaning the cats litter box, especially if you have a weakened immune system, can lead to toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis is not considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
They may look into the eyes for lesions.
Doses and duration of medications may vary.
Medications used to treat toxoplasmosis include sulfadiazine, Daraprim (pyrimethamine), and folinic acid (leucovorin).
In some cases, clindamycin or azithromycin may be used as well.
Prognosis
Most healthy people have no symptoms of toxoplasmosis.
People who do have symptoms often recover with no long-term effects.
Children born with congenital toxoplasmosis have symptoms their entire lives.
Summary
Toxoplasmosis is a disease due to the parasiteToxoplasma gondii.
This parasite infects the brain, eyes, and muscles.
It forms bubbles in the tissue called cysts that house the parasite.
These cysts may persist after the person is no longer sick.
The three forms of toxoplasmosis are acute toxoplasmosis, congenital toxoplasmosis, and chronic toxoplasmosis.
The most common way humans acquire toxoplasmosis is by eating undercooked meat with cysts.
Treatment for toxoplasmosis isnt needed in most healthy people.
Others may get a combination of medicines.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Toxoplasmosis - treatment.
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