Toxoplasma

Question 1

Pathogenic species of toxoplasma?

Answer 1

T. gondii

Question 2

Transmission of toxoplasma

Answer 2

Fecal oral from infected animal feces, primarily Cats, and kitty litter.

Transplacental transmission, preggo ladies shouldn’t change cat litter

Rarely, ingesting cysts from infected meat.

Question 3

Toxoplasma hosts, primary host and intermediate host

Answer 3

Cats are the primary host, where the sexual life cycle occurs

Humans are intermediate

Question 4

Toxoplasmosis clinical presentation

Answer 4

Asymptomatic in healthy people, up to 30% of population may be carriers.

In immunocompd, Infants and HIV patients, it can cause severe disease

CNS toxoplasmosis: Ring enhancing lesions, which are brain abscesses. Encephalitis, seizures.

The triad:

1) Brain calcifications/ring enhancing lesions
2) Hydrocephalus and Seizures
3) Choreoretinitis and blindness

Other:
Deafness
Intramuscular cysts

Question 5

Toxoplasmosis diagnosis

Answer 5

Serology, although it will often have false positives because of high prevalence of toxoplasma encounters.

Definitive diag requires biopsy.

Question 6

Treatment

Answer 6

Sulfadiazine
and
Pyrimethamine

For HIV patients with very low T cell count,
prophylaxis against toxoplasma is needed, with Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxide.