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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:47 Causes of Toxoplasmosis
1:43 Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis
2:47 Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis
3:10 Treatment for Toxoplasmosis


Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an apicomplexan.[3] Infections with toxoplasmosis are associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric and behavioral conditions.[8] Occasionally, people may have a few weeks or months of mild, flu-like illness such as muscle aches and tender lymph nodes.[1] In a small number of people, eye problems may develop.[1] In those with a weak immune system, severe symptoms such as seizures and poor coordination may occur.[1] If a person becomes infected during pregnancy, a condition known as congenital toxoplasmosis may affect the child.[1]

Toxoplasmosis is usually spread by eating poorly cooked food that contains cysts, exposure to infected cat feces, and from an infected woman to their baby during pregnancy.[3] Rarely, the disease may be spread by blood transfusion.[3] It is not otherwise spread between people.[3] The parasite is known to reproduce sexually only in the cat family.[9] However, it can infect most types of warm-blooded animals, including humans.[9] Diagnosis is typically by testing blood for antibodies or by testing the amniotic fluid in pregnant women for the parasite's DNA.[4]

Prevention is by properly preparing and cooking food.[10] Pregnant women are also recommended not to clean cat litter boxes or, if they must, to wear gloves and wash their hands afterwards.[10] Treatment of otherwise healthy people is usually not needed.[5] During pregnancy, spiramycin or pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine and folinic acid may be used for treatment.[5]

Up to half of the world's population is infected by toxoplasmosis, but have no symptoms.[7] In the United States, approximately 11% of people have been infected, while in some areas of the world this is more than 60%.[3] Approximately 200,000 cases of congenital toxoplasmosis occur a year.[6] Charles Nicolle and Louis Manceaux first described the organism in 1908.[11] In 1941, transmission during pregnancy from a pregnant parent to their baby was confirmed.[11] There is tentative evidence that infection may affect people's behavior.[12]