Toxoplasmosis: symptoms and treatment in humans, photo
What it is? Toxoplasmosis belongs to the class of parasitic diseases. It causes persistent damage to many organs and systems.
However, there are many cases where the disease is completely asymptomatic and does not cause serious complications.
Toxoplasmosis is a very common disease, almost every second adult has antibodies in the blood that indicate a disease that has been transferred.
Most often, young people and children are sick. The greatest danger is for pregnant women and newborns, which is why the disease needs both quality and timely treatment, and in carrying out preventive measures.
Toxoplasmosis in humans causes a causative agent called Toxoplasma gondii, which belongs to the class of protozoa. Usually Toxoplasma gondii people get infected from sick animals, the way of transmission from person to person is more rare. The causative agent is contained in saliva, milk, or excrement, which are secreted by animals.
Even more rarely is infection through a blood transfusion or organ transplant. In addition, Toxoplasma gondii easily penetrates the placental barrier, so when a pregnant woman is infected, the disease is almost always transmitted to the future child in all cases.
Thus, the cause of toxoplasmosis is most often the eating of poorly-roasted meat, or failure to comply with the relevant rules when cutting and preparing dishes from raw meat. Also, a high risk of infection is observed when caring for the toilet of domestic animals, if you neglect the rules of personal hygiene.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis depend on which form of the disease is diagnosed in humans - congenital or acquired. Congenital toxoplasmosis occurs in the event that the infection has occurred in the mother's womb. As a rule, this form of the disease is very difficult and often ends in a fatal outcome.
With congenital toxoplasmosis, symptoms such as fever, lymphadenopathy, jaundice, dysfunction of the nervous system are present. Most children have hydrocephalus, significant damage to the eyeball.
Death, as a rule, comes, from the strong impact of the disease on the brain. In newborns that survive, there are often various malformations, often a lag in mental development.
Acquired toxoplasmosis is much easier to transfer. The disease begins with an incubation period that can last from 3 to 10 days. After the expiration of this term, certain symptoms of toxoplasmosis may appear: high fever, vomiting, headache. It is also possible to increase the spleen and liver, pain in the muscles and joints, in rare cases, diagnose pneumonia.
However, it should be noted that in the vast majority of people the acute form of toxoplasmosis is not observed. In such cases, the disease is latent and very often a person does not even suspect it.
Diagnostic measures for suspected toxoplasmosis include, first of all, parasitological methods of investigation. They provide for a laboratory analysis of various types of specimens for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in it. Smears for specimens are taken from the affected organs.
Immunological research methods are much more common, which must be performed when diagnosing toxoplasmosis.
For this, the patient is taken a sample of venous blood. With the serological analysis, the presence of antibodies of class G or antibodies of class M is detected in the blood. If there are immunoglobulins G in the blood, this means that the person has already had toxoplasmosis and developed a stable immunity to it. But the presence of antibodies M indicates that the disease is in acute stages, and the patient needs treatment.
Despite the fact that for the adult part of the population in the vast majority of cases, toxoplasmosis is not a threat, it is very dangerous for pregnant women. Its danger is that it poses a serious threat to the life and health of the fetus.
The highest risk of complications is recorded in the case when the infection occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy, when all the most important organs and fetal systems are formed. However, the shorter the gestation period, the lower the possibility of infection. In this case, infection at a later date results in fewer complications and significantly improves the prognosis.
In order to avoid possible complications during pregnancy, all women in the planning stage are recommended to conduct an immunological blood test, which will show if a woman has immunity to toxoplasmosis.
If antibodies G are present in the blood, you can get pregnant without fear, since the formed immunity will protect the pregnant woman from the primary infection. In the opposite situation, during pregnancy, strict adherence to preventive measures is necessary, which will protect against possible primary infection.
Read also, toxicosis during pregnancy, what to do?
Treatment of acquired toxoplasmosis in humans is performed only if the disease occurs in acute form and has pronounced signs. In cases of congenital disease, therapy is mandatory. Carriers of an infection in a chronic form do not need treatment.
For the treatment of toxoplasmosis, sulfonamides are traditionally used, in combination with chloridine and delagil. Also, antibiotics of the tetracycline group are often used. If there is CNS damage, it is advisable to use glucocorticoids. Practically in all cases of toxoplasmosis, doctors recommend the use of immunomodulators, as well as vitamins and antihistamines.
For treatment with toxoplasmosis in a pregnant woman, treatment should be given only after 12 weeks. As a rule, a combination of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine is used in such cases. In this case, the therapy is not aimed at the complete destruction of the causative agent of the disease, but on a significant decrease in its activity.
Complications of toxoplasmosis are most often diagnosed with its congenital form, or in cases when the patient's immunity is severely impaired. People with status of HIV-infected or AIDS suffer especially hard. These patients, as a rule, are forced to treat toxoplasmosis for the rest of their lives.
Most often, toxoplasmosis leads to a significant deterioration in vision. The most common complication is atrophy of the optic nerve. Strongly suffering from the effects of toxoplasmosis and the central nervous system.
The disease can cause conditions such as cerebral edema, paralysis, encephalitis, epileptiform syndrome, arachnoiditis.
As for the cardiovascular system, complications in the form of endocarditis or myocarditis are also common here. Also toxoplasmosis can provoke pneumonia, an infectious-toxic shock.
Prevention of toxoplasmosis is especially important for pregnant women who do not have immunity to this disease. In such cases it is recommended to eat only well-roasted meat. After contact with raw meat, you should definitely wash your hands and carefully clean the kitchen.
Also it is necessary to wash fruits, greens and vegetables well, especially freshly pulled out on a bed. It will be best to beat them with boiling water. Since in most cases people are infected with toxoplasmosis from pets, it is very important to observe personal hygiene rules when communicating and caring for pets.
You should definitely wash your hands after taking care of their toilet, as well as before any food intake. Pregnant women who do not have immunity to toxoplasmosis, for the entire period of pregnancy it is better to limit communication with any kinds of animals as much as possible. Pets in this case can be tested for the carriage of Toxoplasma gondii by passing to the laboratory for analysis of their feces.
However, there are many cases where the disease is completely asymptomatic and does not cause serious complications.
Toxoplasmosis is a very common disease, almost every second adult has antibodies in the blood that indicate a disease that has been transferred.
Most often, young people and children are sick. The greatest danger is for pregnant women and newborns, which is why the disease needs both quality and timely treatment, and in carrying out preventive measures.
Causes - As infected with toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis in humans causes a causative agent called Toxoplasma gondii, which belongs to the class of protozoa. Usually Toxoplasma gondii people get infected from sick animals, the way of transmission from person to person is more rare. The causative agent is contained in saliva, milk, or excrement, which are secreted by animals.
The main way of transmission is through food, into which Toxoplasma gondii has got in one way or another. Rare is the transmissible transmission pathway - through damaged skin, or mucous membranes of organs.
Even more rarely is infection through a blood transfusion or organ transplant. In addition, Toxoplasma gondii easily penetrates the placental barrier, so when a pregnant woman is infected, the disease is almost always transmitted to the future child in all cases.
Thus, the cause of toxoplasmosis is most often the eating of poorly-roasted meat, or failure to comply with the relevant rules when cutting and preparing dishes from raw meat. Also, a high risk of infection is observed when caring for the toilet of domestic animals, if you neglect the rules of personal hygiene.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in humans
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis depend on which form of the disease is diagnosed in humans - congenital or acquired. Congenital toxoplasmosis occurs in the event that the infection has occurred in the mother's womb. As a rule, this form of the disease is very difficult and often ends in a fatal outcome.
With congenital toxoplasmosis, symptoms such as fever, lymphadenopathy, jaundice, dysfunction of the nervous system are present. Most children have hydrocephalus, significant damage to the eyeball.
Death, as a rule, comes, from the strong impact of the disease on the brain. In newborns that survive, there are often various malformations, often a lag in mental development.
Acquired toxoplasmosis is much easier to transfer. The disease begins with an incubation period that can last from 3 to 10 days. After the expiration of this term, certain symptoms of toxoplasmosis may appear: high fever, vomiting, headache. It is also possible to increase the spleen and liver, pain in the muscles and joints, in rare cases, diagnose pneumonia.
However, it should be noted that in the vast majority of people the acute form of toxoplasmosis is not observed. In such cases, the disease is latent and very often a person does not even suspect it.
Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis
Diagnostic measures for suspected toxoplasmosis include, first of all, parasitological methods of investigation. They provide for a laboratory analysis of various types of specimens for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in it. Smears for specimens are taken from the affected organs.
Immunological research methods are much more common, which must be performed when diagnosing toxoplasmosis.
For this, the patient is taken a sample of venous blood. With the serological analysis, the presence of antibodies of class G or antibodies of class M is detected in the blood. If there are immunoglobulins G in the blood, this means that the person has already had toxoplasmosis and developed a stable immunity to it. But the presence of antibodies M indicates that the disease is in acute stages, and the patient needs treatment.
Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy
Despite the fact that for the adult part of the population in the vast majority of cases, toxoplasmosis is not a threat, it is very dangerous for pregnant women. Its danger is that it poses a serious threat to the life and health of the fetus.
The highest risk of complications is recorded in the case when the infection occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy, when all the most important organs and fetal systems are formed. However, the shorter the gestation period, the lower the possibility of infection. In this case, infection at a later date results in fewer complications and significantly improves the prognosis.
In order to avoid possible complications during pregnancy, all women in the planning stage are recommended to conduct an immunological blood test, which will show if a woman has immunity to toxoplasmosis.
If antibodies G are present in the blood, you can get pregnant without fear, since the formed immunity will protect the pregnant woman from the primary infection. In the opposite situation, during pregnancy, strict adherence to preventive measures is necessary, which will protect against possible primary infection.
Read also, toxicosis during pregnancy, what to do?
Treatment of toxoplasmosis
Treatment of acquired toxoplasmosis in humans is performed only if the disease occurs in acute form and has pronounced signs. In cases of congenital disease, therapy is mandatory. Carriers of an infection in a chronic form do not need treatment.
For the treatment of toxoplasmosis, sulfonamides are traditionally used, in combination with chloridine and delagil. Also, antibiotics of the tetracycline group are often used. If there is CNS damage, it is advisable to use glucocorticoids. Practically in all cases of toxoplasmosis, doctors recommend the use of immunomodulators, as well as vitamins and antihistamines.
For treatment with toxoplasmosis in a pregnant woman, treatment should be given only after 12 weeks. As a rule, a combination of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine is used in such cases. In this case, the therapy is not aimed at the complete destruction of the causative agent of the disease, but on a significant decrease in its activity.
Complications of toxoplasmosis
Complications of toxoplasmosis are most often diagnosed with its congenital form, or in cases when the patient's immunity is severely impaired. People with status of HIV-infected or AIDS suffer especially hard. These patients, as a rule, are forced to treat toxoplasmosis for the rest of their lives.
Most often, toxoplasmosis leads to a significant deterioration in vision. The most common complication is atrophy of the optic nerve. Strongly suffering from the effects of toxoplasmosis and the central nervous system.
The disease can cause conditions such as cerebral edema, paralysis, encephalitis, epileptiform syndrome, arachnoiditis.
As for the cardiovascular system, complications in the form of endocarditis or myocarditis are also common here. Also toxoplasmosis can provoke pneumonia, an infectious-toxic shock.
Prevention of
Prevention of toxoplasmosis is especially important for pregnant women who do not have immunity to this disease. In such cases it is recommended to eat only well-roasted meat. After contact with raw meat, you should definitely wash your hands and carefully clean the kitchen.
Also it is necessary to wash fruits, greens and vegetables well, especially freshly pulled out on a bed. It will be best to beat them with boiling water. Since in most cases people are infected with toxoplasmosis from pets, it is very important to observe personal hygiene rules when communicating and caring for pets.
You should definitely wash your hands after taking care of their toilet, as well as before any food intake. Pregnant women who do not have immunity to toxoplasmosis, for the entire period of pregnancy it is better to limit communication with any kinds of animals as much as possible. Pets in this case can be tested for the carriage of Toxoplasma gondii by passing to the laboratory for analysis of their feces.