Infectious Disease: toxoplasmosis

Question 1

What are parasitic disease?

Answer 1

major cause of disease in developing world

cause disease by colonizing GI tract, invading circulating blood, or develop within cells

Question 2

most important human protozoan disease in US

Answer 2

toxoplasma (toxoplasmosis)

Question 3

prevalence of toxoplasmosis in US

Answer 3

50% have antibodies indicative of chronic asymptomatic infection

3000 infants per eyar

Question 4

modes of transmission of toxoplasmosis

Answer 4

1. cat
2. eating undercooked, contaminated meat
3. improper handling of cat litter
4. transplacental spread
5. receiving infected organ transplant

Question 5

clinical symptoms of toxoplasmosis

Answer 5

mononucleosis like illness

fever, malaise, headache, cervical lymphadenopathy

Question 6

serological testing for toxoplasmosis

Answer 6

IgM antibody levels increase

IgG antibodies become detectable after 1-2 weeks

L node biopsy

Question 7

histopathology triad in lymph nodes infected with toxoplasma gondii

Answer 7

1. reactive follicular hyperplasia
   2 cluster of epithelioid histocytes
2. focal sinusoidal distension by monocytoid B celsl

Question 8

common sense prevention of toxoplasmosis

Answer 8

cook meat thoroughly
proper handling of cat litter

Question 9

medications used in treatment of toxoplasmosis

Answer 9

pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine combined with folic acid