Toxoplasmosis (Parasite: Toxoplasma gondii) ICD-10 B58

Definition

Toxoplasmosis is a parasite disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Influenza-like symptoms and swelling in lymph nodes. Infection during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

• In weakened immune systems that may occur during treatment with immunosuppressive drugs for rheumatic disease, toxoplasmosis can rarely cause serious complications

Contamination

Infection via cats, raw meat (especially lamb). Stool (faecal) infection through unclean hands.

Symptoms

• Acute stage
  • Influenza-like
  • Swollen lymph nodes
• Muscle pain that lasts for months
  • Encephalitis (Encephalitis)
  • Eye disease (necrotizing chorio-retinitis)

Infection during pregnancy

May cause infection in the newborn ("congenital toxoplasmosis"). The newborn can get encephalitis (encephalitis), blindness and deformity of the nose

• The so-called "TORCH infections"is a group of infections that can cause fetal malformations:
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Rubella (red dogs)
  • Cytomegalian virus (CMV)
  • Herpes simplex

Latent toxoplasmosis

Healthy people do not get seriously ill, but are latent carriers

• Cutaneous toxoplasmosis
  • Skin changes are rare:
  • Erythema multiforme -like, knots, urticaria, Maculopapular lesionsNewborns may have ecchymosis with bleeding under the skin
  • Diagnosis by skin biopsy (Giemsa staining or electron microscopy)
• IgG antibody after 1-2 weeks with a maximum of 1-XNUM months
• IgM not specific. Normalized after a few months

Treatment

• Trimethoprim-Sulfa

Prophylaxis

• Avoid exposure
• Consider Trimetoptim-Sulfa if the CD4 number is less than 200 (at HIV infection)

Literature

• Halonen SK, 2014
• Wikipedia

Opportunistic infections, BINDEVEVSSYKDOMMER.no

• Bindevevssykdommer.no
• Vaskulitt.no