Questions. What is toxoplasmosis Instrumental diagnostic methods

Therefore, if toxoplasma enters the body of a healthy person with good immunity, the formation of antibodies will begin in response to them, which will soon overcome the disease, subsequently developing stable immunity. However, if a person has a decrease in immunity, antibodies may be produced in insufficient quantities or absent altogether. In this case, there will be a predominance of toxoplasma, which will subsequently infect the body and cause a disease such as toxoplasmosis.

There are the following ranks of microorganisms:

• superkingdom ( domain);
• kingdom;
• supertype;
• Class;
• order;
• family;
• subspecies.

Eukaryotes are higher organisms that have a common structure characteristic only of a given domain. The main feature of a eukaryotic cell is the presence in it of a clearly defined nucleus, which contains a DNA macromolecule responsible for the storage, transmission and implementation of genetic information.

The following kingdoms belong to eukaryotes:

• animals;
• plants;
• mushrooms

There are seven types of protozoan microorganisms, which mainly differ from each other in their characteristic mode of movement.

Of the seven types of microorganisms, only three types can cause a specific disease in humans:

• sarcomastigophores ( Sarcomastigophora);
• ciliates ( Ciliophora);
• Sporozoans ( Apicomplexa).

Note. Romanovsky-Giemsa staining is a cytological research method that allows you to differentiate the type of microorganism, as well as study the chemical processes occurring in the cell.

Ripening ( sporulation) cysts, after which they are considered infectious, occurs over a certain period of time, all depending on the temperature of the external environment.

At a temperature of plus four degrees In Celsius, sporulation occurs in two to three days.
At a temperature of plus eleven Ripening occurs within five to eight days.
At a temperature of plus fifteen The oocysts will take about three weeks to sporulate.

Note. Maturation of oocysts is impossible at temperatures below plus four and above plus thirty-seven degrees Celsius.

Depending on the duration of pregnancy, congenital toxoplasmosis can be divided into two groups:

• early congenital toxoplasmosis, in which the mother, and consequently the fetus, is infected in the first months of pregnancy;
• late congenital toxoplasmosis, in which a pregnant woman becomes infected with toxoplasmosis and transmits the disease to the fetus in the second half of pregnancy.

With late congenital toxoplasmosis, a child may be born with signs of generalized toxoplasmosis ( for example, enlarged liver, spleen).

The following forms of congenital toxoplasmosis exist:

• acute form;
• chronic form.

Symptoms of acquired toxoplasmosis

• incubation period;
• prodromal period;
• peak period;
• period of convalescence.

There are three forms of acquired toxoplasmosis:

• acute form;
• chronic form;
• latent form.

Acute form

In the acute form, the patient may experience the following signs of the disease:

• increase in body temperature to 38 - 39 degrees;
• signs of intoxication of the body, for example, loss of appetite, pain in muscles and joints, weakness ( develop as a result of internal effects on the body of toxins released by the causative agent of the disease);
• enlarged lymph nodes, in most cases cervical and occipital ( increase in size and become dense);
• hepatosplenomegaly ( enlarged liver and spleen).

Chronic form

During this period, the patient may be bothered by symptoms such as increased weakness, nervousness, headaches, memory impairment, as well as pain in the muscles and joints. It should also be noted that the chronic form is characterized by enlargement of the lymph nodes - usually cervical, supraclavicular, axillary and inguinal.

The chronic form of toxoplasmosis can lead to damage to the following body systems:

• gastrointestinal tract;
• the cardiovascular system;
• nervous system;
• endocrine system;
• visual system.

• decreased appetite;
• bowel dysfunction;
• weight loss;
• abdominal pain;
• liver enlargement and pain;
• disruption of the pancreas.

• increased heart rate ( tachycardia);
• decrease in blood pressure ( below 120 to 80 millimeters of mercury);

Damage to the nervous system due to toxoplasmosis can lead to the development of the following symptoms:

• emotional instability;
• irritability;
• decreased performance;

• menstrual irregularities;
• hypofunction of the thyroid gland.

• chorioretinitis ( inflammation of the choroid and retina);
• uveitis ( inflammation of the choroid);
• conjunctivitis ( inflammation of the conjunctiva);
• iritis ( inflammation of the iris).

• painful sensations in the eyes;
• hyperemia ( redness) eye;
• lacrimation;
• increased sensitivity to light stimuli;

Latent form

Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis

• taking anamnesis;
• examination of the patient;
• laboratory research;
• instrumental diagnostics.

History taking

• medical history ( chronological description of the onset of symptoms of the disease);
• anamnesis of life ( description of living conditions, food habits, profession);
• epidemiological history ( it is determined whether there was contact with animals, the nature of the contact);
• allergy history ( Are you allergic and to what exactly?).

Examination of the patient

• elevated body temperature ( usually low-grade fever);
• enlarged liver and spleen ( the liver is painful on palpation);
• enlarged lymph nodes ( soft in density, painful on palpation, size varies within one to one and a half centimeters, not connected to nearby tissues).

Examination of a patient with toxoplasmosis in the chronic period

• weakness;
• apathy;
• decreased performance.

Laboratory research

Then the resulting material is examined for the presence of specific antibodies in the blood serum:

• Ig detection ( immunoglobulin) M means the presence of an acute process;
• detection of Ig G indicates a transferred process.

The following serological tests are used in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis:

• complement fixation reaction;
• Sebin-Feldman reaction;
• immunofluorescence reaction ( REEF);
• linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA).

Allergological method
This research method involves performing an allergy test on the patient by injecting toxoplasmin intradermally. The drug is injected into the outer area of ​​the shoulder in an amount of 0.1 ml.

Note. Toxoplasmin is a special antigenic complex of the pathogen, which is obtained by collecting fluid from the abdominal cavity of white mice suffering from toxoplasmosis.

At the site of toxoplasmin injection, redness may be observed on the surface of the skin ( hyperemia) and infiltrate ( accumulation of the injected substance in tissues).

When conducting an allergy test, the following reactions may be observed:

• strongly positive reaction (if the size of the intradermal reaction is more than twenty millimeters);
• positive reaction (if the size of the intradermal reaction is from thirteen to twenty millimeters);
• weakly positive reaction (if the size of the intradermal reaction is from ten to thirteen millimeters);
• negative reaction (if the size of the intradermal reaction is less than nine millimeters).

However, if M or A antibodies were detected in a woman during the study, and toxoplasmosis occurs with a pronounced clinical picture and damage to organs and systems is observed, then in this case complex treatment of the disease is prescribed ( e.g. chemotherapy, antibiotics, desensitization therapy). Adequately selected therapy helps to significantly reduce the severity of toxoplasmosis, as well as prevent damage to internal organs.


Note. Treatment of toxoplasmosis ( medications and duration of treatment) is selected individually by the attending physician.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis is determined depending on the following indicators:

• the existing form of the disease;
• severity of the disease;
• the degree of damage to organs and systems of the body.

Treatment of acute toxoplasmosis

In case of acute toxoplasmosis, antibiotics such as sulfonamides, tetracyclines and macrolides can be prescribed in combination with antimalarial drugs or individually ( have a depressing effect on various microorganisms, including toxoplasma).

Treatment of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women

In the treatment of acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, in most cases, the drug Rovamycin is used, which after the sixteenth week is prescribed to the woman in the following dosage:

• one tablet orally ( 1.5 million action units) twice a day for six weeks;
• one tablet orally ( 3 million action units) twice a day for four weeks;
• one tablet orally ( 3 million action units) three times a day for ten days.

To prevent congenital toxoplasmosis, a pregnant woman may be prescribed the following medications:

• chloridine;
• aminoquinol.

Aminoquinol
The drug is prescribed starting from the ninth week of pregnancy.

Treatment consists of four cycles:

• first cycle– ninth – fourteenth week of pregnancy;
• second cycle– fifteenth – twentieth week of pregnancy;
• third cycle– twenty-first – twenty-sixth week of pregnancy;
• fourth cycle– twenty-seventh – thirty-second week of pregnancy.

Treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis

Treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis includes:

• taking immunostimulating drugs;
• carrying out desensitizing ( antiallergic) therapy;
• administration of toxoplasmin;
• carrying out ultraviolet irradiation.

This therapy is necessary because the existing chronic infection has a negative effect on a person’s immunity, significantly reducing it.

Specific immunotherapy with toxoplasmin

Note. Toxoplasmin is administered if the patient does not have diseases associated with eye damage.

Ultraviolet irradiation

Prevention of toxoplasmosis

• maintaining personal hygiene rules;
• decreased contact with cats;
• exclusion of eating raw, as well as poorly fried or boiled meat or minced meat;
• when consuming vegetables, fruits or berries that come into contact with the ground, they should be washed thoroughly;
• if you have a cat at home, it is recommended to regularly examine the animal for toxoplasmosis;
• when planning pregnancy, a woman should be tested for toxoplasmosis;
• strengthening the body's defenses ( regular hardening, good nutrition, healthy lifestyle).

Meningitis is a specific disease of the lining of the brain that affects the central nervous system. Inflammation of the meninges occurs due to the introduction of microbial agents (viral, bacterial). Changes in the lining of the brain can lead to low immunity, chronic diseases, and abnormal development of the skull.

Causes of meningitis in children

In different age groups, there is a predominance of one or another pathogen as the cause of meningitis. The following patterns are observed:

• Newborns rarely suffer from meningitis. This kind of disease can be transmitted in utero from mother to fetus. This is usually a herpes or toxoplasma infection.
• In infants meningitis is caused by the immunodeficiency virus or congenital syphilis.
• In children under one year old The causative agent is often a bacterium such as meningococcus.
• At school age Staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria predominate.
• In teenagers wider range of pathogens. It is also possible to diagnose a tuberculosis process with brain damage.

The development of meningitis is promoted by:

• Chronic diseases of the ENT organs(adenoiditis, sinusitis, otitis).
• Deviated nasal septum(anomalies of skull development).
• Oral diseases(carious teeth in children).

All these reasons reduce the baby’s immunity and allow agents to easily penetrate the brain area.

How to identify meningitis in a child: specific symptoms

Meningitis manifests itself in different ways, since its causative agents are different groups of microorganisms and microbes, but the first symptoms of the disease are almost always similar.

The first symptoms of meningitis:

• Heat.
• Bluish nasolabial triangle.
• Lethargy, pain in muscles and joints.
• Loss of appetite.
• An unquenchable feeling of thirst.
• In severe cases, low blood pressure.

Meningitis manifests itself quite characteristically, so parents can carry out some manipulations to clarify the diagnosis at home.

The following symptoms are observed with meningitis:

• Stiff neck – This is when it is difficult or completely impossible for a child to bend his head.
• Kergiga's sign. Inability to straighten knees when bent. “Stiffening” of joints.
• Lesage's symptoms. In young children, the symptoms of the disease are not as pronounced. Therefore, the large fontanelle is examined first. It swells and bulges, and pulsation and tension are also felt in this area. Lesage's sign is tested using the "pointing dog" pose. This is when they take the baby under the armpits, and he throws his head back and tucks his legs. Thus, they reduce pain.
• Brudzinski's symptoms. This symptom is characterized by involuntary flexion of the hip and knee joints. To do this, the patient is placed on his back and asked to tilt his head to his chest. When performing this manipulation, the knees involuntarily bend.

In children under one year of age and older, meningitis may not manifest itself so clearly, but some “bells” make it possible to detect the disease in the early stages.

Diagnosis of meningitis in children: types of tests and examinations

To diagnose meningitis in children, the following tests and examinations are done:

• Blood analysis. The result of the analysis will show leukocytosis with a shift to the left, increased ESR.
• CSF examination(lumbar puncture). The liquor is collected into three different tubes and delivered to the laboratory within two hours, no later. With meningitis, the study shows increased protein content and decreased glucose.


• Bacteriological analysis. For this study, material is taken from the nasopharynx, cerebrospinal fluid, urine and inoculated on nutrient media.
• Serological blood tests. Thanks to this analysis, the presence of specific antibodies is detected.
• CT, radiography. Performed for a complete comprehensive examination of the patient for the presence of meningitis with other pathological conditions. Brain edema, tumor, hemorrhage.
• Newborns, as prescribed by doctors, are tested through the fontanel ( neurosonography), and Brain MRI and EEG.

Before prescribing quality treatment, the doctor needs to understand the etiology of the disease. Each type of meningitis (bacterial, viral) has its own characteristics in the prescription of medications. That is why doctors prescribe a wide range of examinations to make an accurate diagnosis.

Today, meningitis can be treated, but you should seek help as early as possible in order to prevent the outbreak of the disease from “igniting” in the child’s body. After all, the consequences of this disease are disappointing for the health and full-fledged existence of the baby.

baragozik.ru

Rabbit toxoplasmosis.

Etiology. The causative agent is Toxoplasma gondii, 4-8x2-4 microns in size, mobile, shaped like an almond grain, an orange slice, or a crescent. Division occurs by internal budding into two or more individuals in the cells of various organs and tissues, in macrophages. The formation of cysts with many toxoplasma in the brain and retina is possible. The reproductive cycle of Toxoplasma occurs in the intestinal epithelium of cats and other felines and ends with the formation of oocysts. Mature oocysts, excreted in the host's feces, remain in the external environment for a long time. Thus, the cat is the definitive host, and other animals and humans play the role of intermediate hosts.

Epizootological data. Many species of domestic and wild animals are susceptible to toxoplasmosis. The source of invasion is patients who excrete the pathogen most intensively with amniotic fluid, placenta, aborted fetuses, and in the acute period with excrement. Cats and dogs play a significant role in the spread of the pathogen. Infection occurs through nutritional, airborne and transplacental routes.

Clinical signs. The incubation period is 2-3 days. Rabbits experience depression, weakness, loss of appetite, increased body temperature to 41.0-41.3°C, increased heart rate and respiration. Then signs of damage to the lungs and digestive canal, as well as the nervous system, appear. Animals become exhausted. Pregnant rabbits abort.

Pathological changes. In dead rabbits, inflammation of the lungs, enlargement of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes are noted. There are hemorrhages on the intestinal mucosa. Injection of brain vessels is pronounced.

Diagnosis are established comprehensively, taking into account epizootological, clinical, pathological data, the results of serological studies, microscopy of the pathogen and bioassay on white mice.

Treatment. For the prevention and treatment of patients with toxoplasmosis, A.I. Sokolov recommends using pure chemical coccide substance mixed with food. The prophylactic dose of the drug is 12 mg per 1 kg of animal weight daily for seven days, the therapeutic dose for the acute form is 24 mg/kg in the first three days, then 12 mg/kg for 20-25 days.

Prevention and control measures. Pay due attention to compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules for keeping and caring for animals, especially during childbirth. Stray dogs and cats should not be allowed on the rabbit farm, and rats and mice should be regularly destroyed. Patients with toxoplasmosis and those who react positively in the RSC are killed, the carcasses are used after reliable boiling or destroyed. Corpses and aborted fetuses are destroyed. Disinfestation is carried out in the premises where sick animals were located.

The causative agent is Toxoplasma gondii, shaped like an orange slice, crescent-shaped. Division occurs by internal budding into two or more individuals, forming cysts. Cysts of a round shape with their own double-circuit membrane can be found in various tissues of the body, most often in the brain, as well as in the muscles of the diaphragm of the heart. Reproduction of Toxoplasma occurs in the intestinal epithelium of cats and other felines, where a zygote is formed, which turns into an oocyst and enters the intestinal lumen, excreted in the host’s feces; persists for a long time in the external environment. The cat is the definitive host, and other animals and humans play the role of intermediate hosts.

Epizootological data. Many species of domestic and wild animals are susceptible to the disease. The source of the pathogen is sick animals that excrete the pathogen with amniotic fluid, aborted fetuses, and in the acute period - with milk, saliva, feces, and tears. The leading role in the spread of the pathogen belongs to cats and dogs; infection occurs through nutritional, airborne routes, through tick vectors and transplacentally.

Symptoms The incubation period of the disease is 2-3 days. Rabbits experience depression, loss of appetite, increased body temperature to 41.0-41.3°C, increased heart rate and respiration. Subsequently, signs of lung damage, purulent mucous discharge from the nasal cavity, and nervous disorders are noted: convulsions, paralysis of the hind limbs. Exhaustion sets in, and pregnant rabbits abort.

Diagnosis. The diagnosis is made on the basis of epizootic data, clinical signs, and laboratory research methods.

Excellent results in the treatment of this disease can be achieved by using homeopathic and homotoxicological drugs.

Prevention and control measures. Sick animals are killed, the meat is digested or destroyed. Tubes and aborted fetuses are destroyed. Animals suspected of having the disease are isolated and monitored using blood sera. They pay special attention to compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules for keeping and caring for animals, especially during childbirth. Dogs and cats should not be allowed to interact with rabbits. It is necessary to regularly destroy rats and mice. Disinfestation is carried out in rooms where sick animals were located.

Tell me, can a rabbit infect you with toxoplasmosis?

Tatyana Gulyaeva Guru 5 years ago

No! 100% can't!

Cats get it because they eat or their mothers ate raw fish or meat! and the rabbit has nothing to do with it at all! no way)) he’s a herbivore :)

You better think about whether you yourself ate fish or meat that was not fully processed? the same sushi, kebabs, dried meat.

Alexander Perevezentsev Sage 5 years ago

Easily. Especially in the year of the rabbit.

marina Thinker 5 years ago

no, just like cats.
To get infected, you have to, excuse me, eat cat poop.
it is a fact

Susan Ivanova Thinker 5 years ago

Does the veterinarian not know the fact that cats wash themselves with their tongues, transferring potential toxoplasma from, sorry, poop onto their fur? You pet a cat like that, forget to wash your hands, and then eat something with dirty hands. Of course, there are a lot of if’s and if’s, and it’s not a fact that the cat is sick, but when it comes to pregnant women, it’s better not to take risks.

marina The thinker and gynecologist also knows this fact: The main source of infection for people is insufficiently thermally processed meat. And it is almost impossible to become infected directly from a cat. And licking has nothing to do with it. well written here - here

Olga Yakovleva Connoisseur 5 years ago

Olga Yakovleva Connoisseur this is for Marina

Tatyana Gulyaeva Guru 5 years ago

How can a rabbit carry toxoplasma if it has no access to either meat or freedom? if The development cycle of Toxoplasma gondii: 1 - stages of development in the intestines of a cat; 2 - ; 2-4 - oocysts; 5 - proliferative stages in the mouse body; 6 - T. gondii cyst in the mouse brain; 7 - newborn mouse infected with Toxoplasma transplacentally.

marina Thinker, what if he swallowed an oocyst at the nursery where he was bought? Ways of infecting animals with toxoplasmosis: - nutritional; - airborne; - intrauterine; - transmission.

Julia Enlightened 5 years ago

no one has read that they know that they can’t stand anything like that. Generally one of the safest animals

Olga Yakovleva Connoisseur 5 years ago

No
just like a cat
Only a freshly infected animal can become infected - feces are dangerous for 3 days - and then you need to eat a loading dose of them)))
and licking and cleaning the toilet will not infect
the risk of getting toxoplasmosis from raw meat is 80% higher

Sources: littlerabbit.ru, veterinarniypomoshnik.ru, www.omedvet.ru, animal.by, otvet.mail.ru

ukr-shinchilla.com.ua

Etiology

Pathogenesis

Pathomorphology

The most severe morphological changes in the nervous system are observed in children. Macroscopic examination reveals dilation of the ventricles with a periventricular zone of necrosis. Scars are found replacing areas of necrosis, obliteration of the interventricular foramen and the lateral aperture of the fourth ventricle. Hydrocephalus can be severe, leading to thinning and deformation of the substance of the hemispheres.

Toxoplasmosis affects people of any age, but children are most often affected. There are acquired and congenital Toxoplasmosis.

Symptoms of acquired toxoplasmosis

The incubation period is from 3 to 14 days. Prodromal period with general malaise, muscle and joint pain - usually several weeks, sometimes months. The acute stage of the disease is manifested by fever, chills, and lymphadenopathy. A generalized maculopapular rash appears, absent only on the soles, palms, and scalp. Along with the general signs of an infectious disease, there is a clinical picture of damage to various organs: myocarditis, pneumonia, focal necrotizing nephritis, hepatitis. Damage to the nervous system is manifested by meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, encephalomyelitis. Radiculoneuritic and asymptomatic forms are rarely observed (the latter can only be detected using serological tests).

The most typical form of toxoplasmosis is meningoencephalitis, the clinical picture of which includes cerebral and meningeal symptoms, paresis of the limbs, tonic-clonic seizures, oculomotor (diplopia) and coordination disorders. Sometimes single or multiple toxoplasmosis abscesses develop in the brain. Characterized by disorders of consciousness, lethargy, loss of memory and spatial orientation. In the blood, leukocytosis is detected with a shift of the formula to the left, an increase in ESR, in the cerebrospinal fluid - lymphocytic pleocytosis, a moderate increase in protein content.

Symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis

When the mother becomes ill with toxoplasmosis in the first half of pregnancy, the fetus usually dies due to developmental defects incompatible with life. When the mother becomes infected in the second half of pregnancy, the child is born with severe brain damage. The acute stage of the disease occurs in utero, a child is born with actively ongoing meningoencephalitis or its consequences. Neurological manifestations of meningoencephalitis are varied: polymorphic epileptic seizures, clonic-tonic convulsions, spastic paresis, tremor, myoclonus, paresis of the ocular and facial muscles, nystagmus, muscle contractures, meningeal phenomena. Sometimes there are symptoms of spinal cord damage.

Congenital toxoplasmosis is characterized by a triad of signs: hydrocephalus, chorioretinitis and intracerebral calcifications. With hydrocephalus, the size of the head increases, the bones of the skull become thinner, and the fontanels are tense. Hydrocephalus is usually accompanied by microphthalmia. If hydrocephalus develops before the birth of the child, then during childbirth it is necessary to resort to craniotomy. However, in many cases, an increase in head volume is not detected and hydrocephalus is detected only with pneumoencephalography. Chorioretinitis is often bilateral and focal, involving the macular area. Iritis, uveitis, cataracts, primary or secondary atrophy of the optic nerves are also possible. Intracerebral calcifications with a diameter of 1-3 cm are located in the cortex and basal ganglia and are detected on CT and MRI craniograms of the brain.

Children with congenital toxoplasmosis are retarded in mental development up to mental retardation. They also experience a variety of psychotic states (depression, psychomotor agitation, hallucinations, catatonia). Sometimes children with congenital toxoplasmosis have jaundice and an enlarged liver and spleen. The temperature usually remains normal. CSF pressure during lumbar puncture is usually normal. There is a high protein content and moderate mononuclear pleocytosis, sometimes xanthochromia.

Course of the disease

Previously it was believed that congenital toxoplasmosis leads to death during the first years of a child’s life. Currently, stabilization of the infection and even complete recovery with residual effects are possible, the severity of which depends on the degree of damage to the central nervous system (calcifications, choreoretinitis, epileptic syndrome, mental retardation, etc.). In adults, along with the acute course, subacute or even chronic development of the disease is often observed. Often acquired toxoplasmosis, especially in adults, occurs without clinical symptoms expressed to varying degrees (inapparent form).

Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis

Skull radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are important in recognizing toxoplasmosis. However, serological tests play the greatest role: Reaction with Aiben-Feldman dye, with toxoplasmosis antigen, RGA, intradermal test with toxoplasmin, detection of toxoplasma in cerebrospinal fluid and tissues, isolation of toxoplasma when inoculating infectious material into animals. Only significantly increased titers of serological reactions or their increase have a diagnostic sign, since positive tests for toxoplasmosis are very often detected in the population due to the asymptomatic form.

Toxoplasmosis should be differentiated from viral encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, and meningitis. The diagnosis must be confirmed by laboratory data.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis

Treatment of toxoplasmosis is carried out with chloridine (50 mg/day, followed by a dose reduction to 20 mg/day) and sodium sulfadiazine (2-6 g/day) for at least 4 weeks. To reduce the hematotoxic effect of chloridine, folic acid is prescribed (0.005 g daily). Chloridine should not be prescribed in the first trimester of pregnancy due to its teratogenic effect. In AIDS patients, maintenance doses of these drugs are left for a long time under the control of the blood picture.

www.eurolab.ua

What to do if antibodies to toxoplasma are detected?

• Description of the pathogen

The risk of fetal infection during primary maternal infection depends on the trimester of pregnancy. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the risk of fetal infection is 3-17%, in the second – 24-29% and in the third 60-62%. Therefore, congenital toxoplasmosis in children can lead to the development of pronounced pathologies.

The clinical picture of the disease is very diverse and can be either asymptomatic or accompanied by intrauterine fetal death, damage to the nervous system, eyes, or oligophrenia of varying severity.

Toxoplasmosis is classified into two types: congenital and acquired. Acquired toxoplasmosis, in turn, is divided into acute and chronic.

Description of the pathogen

• Trophozoite is an invasive form. Its entry into the body causes an acute course of the disease.
• The cyst, entering the body, leads to the development of an asymptomatic (latent) course of toxoplasmosis.
• Oocyst. This form of Toxoplasma is found only in cats, so it only plays a specific role during transmission.

The severity of the disease, in addition to the form of toxoplasma, depends on the body’s resistance and the age of the patient.

Serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis

Serological methods for diagnosing toxoplasmosis are among the indirect studies. They are the most accurate. Serological diagnosis is based on the detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma in the patient's biological fluids. Today, there are many misconceptions about serological diagnosis, so you should pay attention to the following facts:

• If antibodies to Toxoplasma have been detected, we can only safely say that infection has occurred.
• The quantitative content of IgG does not reflect the severity of the disease. Therefore, the choice of treatment tactics should not be based on determining the amount of this type of antibody in the blood.
• The number of antibodies in the blood cannot act as an indicator of the effectiveness of treatment, since the number of antibodies in the human body can increase as a result of other causes, and in case of toxoplasmosis, antibodies to the pathogen remain throughout life.
• The most accurate serological method for diagnosing toxoplasmosis is ELISA.
• To determine the amount of antibodies, you can use not only blood serum. The material being tested can be cerebrospinal fluid, vitreous contents, or amniotic fluid.

Enzyme immunoassay for toxoplasmosis (ELISA)

Enzyme immunoassay is one of the most informative and sensitive methods for diagnosing toxoplasmosis. This technique is a laboratory research method that can be used to determine the content of specific antibodies to Toxoplasma antigens. The full name of this study is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of IgG and IgM antibodies to Toxoplasma in blood serum with determination of IgG avidity. This means that ELISA is based not only on the detection of antibodies, but also on determining the degree of avidity (the density of the connection of antibodies with Toxoplasma antigens).

The complex of a bound antibody with an antigen can be detected using a special enzyme, which is used as a label to determine the signal.

Enzyme immunoassay is also used as a test for chlamydia or a blood test for Giardia. This means that ELISA has a fairly wide range of applications.

Interpretation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulins IgM and IgG

The main indicators for correctly deciphering the value of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are immunoglobulins IgM, as well as IgG. Depending on what immunoglobulins are detected in the blood, we can talk about the presence of immunity to toxoplasmosis, primary infection, or the complete absence of infection.

An increase in antibody levels does not always indicate an acute course of toxoplasmosis. Therefore, it is necessary to understand which increased antibodies indicate a disease and which indicate resistance to the disease.

Interpretation of enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) based on avidity indicators

Avidity is an indicator that characterizes the strength of binding of specific antibodies in the human body to the corresponding Toxoplasma antigens. As a result of foreign antigens, the body produces IgM antibodies, and later IgG antibodies. At the beginning, IgG does not bind strongly to the antigen, that is, it has a low degree of avidity. Over time, the body begins to produce highly active IgG, which strongly binds antigens. Therefore, during primary infection, IgM is positive, and IgG is negative, or is just beginning to be detected in the blood. And with a positive IgG value and a negative IgM value, we can talk about the formation of stable immunity to toxoplasmosis.

High-quality diagnosis is the key to successful treatment of toxoplasmosis in humans.

Thus, toxoplasmosis is a disease to which most of the population has strong immunity. But due to the fact that this disease can lead to a number of dangerous complications from the fetus during primary infection of the mother during pregnancy, the development of this pathology should be prevented.

For the purpose of prevention, women who have not developed immunity to toxoplasmosis should be examined once a trimester. This will help avoid complications during pregnancy.

Today, there are direct and indirect (serological) methods for detecting Toxoplasma. There are more than 40 different serological methods for detecting antibodies to Toxoplasma antigens. But it is recommended to take an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), since it is one of the most accurate and informative methods.

Symptoms and treatment of toxoplasmosis

Description of the disease

Forms of the disease

Depending on the method of infection, there are two forms of toxoplasmosis: congenital and acquired, each of which is characterized by certain features and symptoms.

Congenital form

• increased body temperature;
• yellowness of the skin;
• enlarged spleen, liver;
• swollen lymph nodes;
• drowsiness;
• lethargy.

If toxoplasmosis in a person does not affect the entire body, but some organ systems, the following symptoms are most often observed:

• cerebral edema;
• eye pathologies (clouded lens, etc.).

It should be noted that damage to the child during intrauterine development is possible if the mother is infected during pregnancy (more about the danger of infection during pregnancy). If the mother was previously infected with toxoplasma, the woman has formed antibodies that can protect the child. If infection does occur, symptoms may not appear immediately, but several weeks or even months after birth.

It has been revealed that children with a congenital disease lag behind other children in mental development, up to mental retardation.

Also, the congenital form of the disease is characterized by disruption of the functioning of the optic nerves and pathology of the lens, which can cause partial or complete blindness.

Acquired form

Acquired toxoplasmosis can occur in three forms: acute, chronic and latent. The last two are extremely difficult to diagnose due to their almost complete absence or insignificant manifestation.

Acute form

The pathogenesis of this course of the disease is quite noticeable. Typically, symptoms begin to appear 7-14 days after infection. Acute toxoplasmosis in humans is characterized by the following symptoms:

• a sharp increase in temperature;
• enlarged liver and/or spleen;
• maculopapular rash;
• lymphadenopathy.

Signs of myocarditis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalitis may also develop.

After the end of the acute phase, the disease usually progresses to a chronic form.

Chronic form

The chronic course of the disease can be either primary or secondary. It is characterized by a long course with alternating periods of exacerbation and remission. Clinical symptoms in humans are as follows:

• intoxication;
• increase in body temperature to subfebrile;
• pain in muscles, joints;
• memory loss;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• constipation;
• bloating;
• enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, groin and armpits;
• eye lesions;
• increase in the number of eosinophils.

Latent form

During the latent course of the disease, symptoms of toxoplasmosis do not appear in humans and it can only be detected through a serological blood test. Typically, a similar course of the disease occurs in the case of HIV infection or accompanies other pathologies leading to immunodeficiency. Most often, with this course of the disease, the brain is affected - brain abscesses and meningoencephaly may occur. The lungs and heart are also affected. The presence of toxoplasmosis in people infected with HIV is one of the causes of death.

Features of treatment

A course developed by a doctor usually indicates how to treat toxoplasmosis with medications, but folk remedies can also be used as an auxiliary therapy.

Drug treatment

Antibiotics can also be used - when used, the pathogen dies in the body. Treatment for toxoplasmosis in adults usually lasts one to two courses, each lasting about 10 days. Injectable and oral agents are used to treat toxoplasmosis in humans. The exact dosages of drugs are prescribed by the attending physician based on the general condition of the patient’s body.

The chronic form is dangerous because the pathogen does not respond to the use of chemotherapy drugs, and therefore immunomodulatory and restorative drugs are prescribed. Hyposensitizing therapy and the use of drugs containing levamisole are also possible.

Treatment with folk remedies

Since the disease is quite common, there are methods for treating toxoplasmosis with folk remedies. Recipes describing how to treat toxoplasmosis usually use products that have an antiprotozoal effect.

Bird cherry

A decoction of crushed bird cherry branches should be taken orally, ¼ cup daily for 30 days, half an hour before meals. After a 30-day course, you can take a break of 10 days and then repeat the course if the treatment does not help. The branches for the decoction should be used young, collected when the bird cherry begins to bloom. Green branches cannot be used to make a decoction.

Herbal tincture

A popular recipe for treating toxoplasmosis using herbal tincture. This tincture is prepared with vodka, and therefore it is not recommended for people with an allergy to ethyl alcohol or intolerance to it. Also, this recipe cannot be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. To prepare the product you need to take 1 teaspoon of the following herbs:

• calendula inflorescences;
• eucalyptus;
• aspen bark;
• elecampane root;
• calamus root.

In a ratio of 1:5, the mixture of herbs is poured with vodka and infused for a week in a dry place protected from light. You need to take the tincture three times a day, before meals, 1 teaspoon diluted in half a glass of water.

You can also pour boiling water over this mixture of herbs at the rate of 5 teaspoons of the mixture per glass of boiling water. This infusion should be left for 1 hour, then strained and taken 1 tablespoon half an hour before each meal.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in humans

• How does infection occur?
• Diagnostics
• Treatment of toxoplasmosis
• Medicines from the pharmacy
• Folk remedies
• Consequences of the disease
• Prevention

How does infection occur?

The main carrier of the disease is the cat. In her body, protozoa reproduce sexually and form cysts.

They remain viable for up to two years and survive in the most unfavorable conditions:

• drought;
• cold;
• snowfall;
• wind;
• rain.

Once in the intestines of another creature - a person, animal or bird - the cysts develop, becoming adults. People with toxoplasmosis cannot infect other adults and children.

Cysts can enter the human body through mucous membranes, wounds, and burns. Even a small scratch becomes a funnel for a harmful organism to enter the bloodstream.

You cannot catch toxoplasmosis from interacting with pigs, rabbits, or cows. But you can get sick by eating the raw meat of these animals. In total, there are 60 species of birds and 300 species of mammals, whose meat can be infectious.

The infection is transmitted in the following ways:

1. Through unwashed vegetables, fruits and raw meat, eggs, minced meat.
2. Through cat excrement.
3. From mother to fetus.
4. During a blood transfusion or organ transplant.

Symptoms and signs of toxoplasmosis

An absolutely healthy person may not react to the entry of the toxoplasmosis pathogen into his body. In some cases, headaches, increased body temperature, enlarged cervical lymph nodes, and the appearance of pharyngitis occur.

In a person with a severely weakened immune system, the disease quickly develops and manifests itself. This happens in HIV-infected people.

In addition to the symptoms described above, the following may appear:

• chills;
• rash;
• enlarged liver and spleen;
• convulsions;
• brain damage.

In severe cases, the patient will develop inflammation of the retina, pneumonia, encephalitis, and endocarditis. Whenever serious signs are detected, the patient will be sent to be tested for HIV.

Diagnostics

Toxoplasmosis cannot be diagnosed without tests, since it manifests itself mildly and in most cases does not have pronounced symptoms.

This diagnosis allows you to determine:

1. Was there a disease?
2. How long ago did the infection occur?
3. When the acute stage has passed.

The diagnosis is made based on the amount of immunoglobulins (IgM) and antibodies (IgG).

The breakdown of the analysis is as follows:

1. If the IgM value is high, then the person has recently had an infection. At the moment, the disease is developing rapidly.
2. IgM and IgG are detected in the blood. The person is sick, but the body begins to actively produce antibodies.
3. The IgG value is high, but IgM is not detected. The patient had suffered from toxoplasmosis in the past and had developed immunity to it.

During pregnancy, in addition to ELISA, maternal obstetric history and ultrasound diagnostics are performed to determine the risk of congenital toxoplasmosis in the fetus. In newborn children, the Remington test is performed, which helps diagnose the disease.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis

Medicines from the pharmacy

In the acute form, the following medications are used for treatment:

1. Antibiotics: Rovamycin, Lincomycin hydrochloride, Metacycline hydrochloride.
2. Chemotherapy medications: Delagil, Fansidar.

For chronic toxoplasmosis, immunomodulators are additionally prescribed:

• Taktivin;
• Neovir;
• Thymogen;
• Lipokid.

Sometimes glucocorticoid hormone is added to treatment. As maintenance therapy, tincture of ginseng or echinacea, Chlorophyllipt is used.

If toxoplasmosis occurs in a simple form without complications, then treatment is not prescribed and the patient’s condition is monitored.

Folk remedies

1. For 1 tbsp. boiling silicon water, take 1 tbsp. l. parfolia herb ground into powder. Keep the mixture in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then leave covered for 45 minutes. Strain the infusion and take 1 tbsp three times a day. l. in 15 minutes before meals. The medicinal herb contains poison, so it should be taken with caution.
2. For 2 liters of cold water, take 100 g of chopped bird cherry branches. Place the pan with the medicine over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil the composition for 25 minutes. Then remove the broth from the heat, wrap it in a warm blanket and keep it like that for 3 hours. Take the strained medicine half an hour before meals 3 times a day.
3. Peel the head of garlic, squeeze the juice out of it and pour in 220 ml of milk. Cook the mixture over low heat for 25 minutes. Drink the medicine in small sips throughout the day. Continue treatment for 10 days.

The doctor must decide how to treat toxoplasmosis. Traditional recipes, like medications, have contraindications and can cause more harm than good.

Consequences of the disease

After suffering from the disease, a person develops immunity to the disease for life.

People with HIV develop serious complications:

• toxoplasmosis chorioretinitis;
• toxoplasmosis uveitis;
• encephalitis.

Often the infection becomes the cause of their death.

People whose immune system is normal tolerate the disease easily and do not have any complications.

Prevention

To avoid getting toxoplasmosis, you must do the following:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before eating and after going outside.
2. Do not touch your face, mucous membranes or wounds with dirty hands.
3. Cats kept in an apartment must be examined by a veterinarian. Their trays and bowls must be kept clean.
4. Do not feed domestic cats raw meat and minced meat.
5. Fruits and vegetables should be washed well before eating.
6. Cutlery and utensils that have come into contact with raw meat must be doused with boiling water.
7. You should not try raw meat or minced meat.
8. Fresh wounds should be treated immediately.

In pregnant women, prevention of infection should occupy a special place in life if test results do not show the presence of antibodies to the disease. They should not have contact with cats, feed them or wash the trays of these animals. It is advisable to move your pet to live in another place until the baby is born.

You should not treat toxoplasmosis as something dangerous. Most people carry it unnoticed and do not even know what this infection looks like or what it is. A sick person is not contagious, so there is no need to be afraid of him and isolate him from healthy people. Anyone who has suffered the disease once does not get sick a second time. Before conceiving a child, you will need to donate blood for antibodies to know whether there is a risk to the fetus.

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Instructions

Toxoplasmosis can manifest itself in several clinical forms: acute, chronic and latent. The disease is dangerous because it is often asymptomatic. The acute form of toxoplasmosis is typical for people with weakened immune systems. It poses a threat to health and life, has a severe course and causes complications. Toxoplasmosis affects all organs and systems, so the disease manifests itself in a variety of symptoms, which depend on which organ is more affected. The main clinical manifestations may be: an increase in body temperature to 38 ° C and above, chills, weakness, headache, sleep disturbances, drowsiness, enlarged lymph nodes, decreased muscle tone, symptoms of central nervous system damage (memory disorder, feeling of fear, appearance).

Toxoplasmosis is diagnosed taking into account symptoms and based on the results of laboratory and instrumental research methods. To be tested for this disease, you need to take a blood test. To diagnose toxoplasmosis, serological methods are used (study of antigens or antibodies in the patient’s biological material). These include: ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), RNIF (indirect immunofluorescence reaction), RSK (complement fixation reaction). The indirect immunofluorescence reaction is a fairly sensitive test, starting from the 1st week. diseases. It reaches its maximum after 2-4 months. from the moment of infection. In the chronic form of the disease, it is indicative for many years.

The complement fixation reaction can detect the pathogen starting from the 2nd week, it reaches its maximum manifestation by 2-4 months. diseases. Then the indicator can be negative or weakly positive, this can make it difficult to diagnose the latent and chronic form. The most effective blood test is the ELISA method, which detects immunoglobulins (antibodies) of the IgG and IgM classes. This analysis allows you to identify toxoplasmosis and distinguish between its forms. An additional diagnostic method is the allergy skin test (STT) with toxoplasmin. It becomes positive starting from 4-6 weeks. infection, and can persist throughout the patient’s life.

A general blood test for toxoplasmosis reveals a decrease in the number of leukocytes (leukopenia) or a normal number of leukocytes with a slight increase in the lymphocyte fraction. Instrumental methods for diagnosing toxoplasmosis are: x-ray examination, fundus examination, lymph node biopsy. For a woman, the most dangerous thing is primary infection with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. When infection occurs before conception, protective IgG antibodies will be detected in the blood. In this case, the percentage of complications will be small.

Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is carried out only with the help of special tests.

The main carriers of the infection are cats. But the disease has its own developmental characteristics, so it can manifest itself in any organism, both human and animal.

The development cycle is directly related to the change of host. Half of our population is infected with toxoplasmosis. The size of this microorganism is from 4 to 12 microns. The shape of the structure is similar to a crescent, but with a special tip. This structure allows it to easily enter cells and adapt. The incubation period ranges from 10 to 23 days. Studies have shown that the life cycle of Toxoplasma is represented by two stages: intestinal and extraintestinal (non-tissue).

The life cycle of Toxoplasma consists of 4 stages:

1. Schizogony is the process of cell reproduction by division.
2. Endodyogeny - reproduction according to the type of internal budding.
3. Gametogeny is reproduction by combining gametes.
4. Sporogony is a division process that occurs from the fusion of sexual individuals of a zygote in sporozoans.

All stages of the Toxoplasma life cycle are a constant process of reproduction. Therefore, this is a fairly common disease. It is divided into congenital and acquired.

1. Congenital - occurs due to intrauterine infection. When a mother, while pregnant, gets sick and toxoplasma penetrates the placenta. This poses a great danger to the child in various types of developmental pathologies.
2. Acquired - occurs in childhood or adulthood.

Routes of infection

There are many ways of infection. The most common are:

• consumption of raw or half-raw meat or meat products;
• contact with infected animals, including cleaning the toilet after your pet;
• poorly washed hands;
• blood transfusion;
• infected cats.

Toxoplasmosis is sometimes asymptomatic. Finding out what exactly caused the infection is quite difficult.

Main features

The absence of symptoms does not guarantee the absence of consequences of the disease. Therefore, it is worth considering the main signs of toxoplasmosis:

• periodically the body temperature rises slightly;
• lymph nodes become inflamed;
• headaches may occur;
• the liver and spleen increase in size;
• performance decreases, memory deteriorates;
• apathy occurs;
• appetite and sleep are disturbed.

Toxoplasmosis is divided into acute and latent. In humans, it occurs in a chronic or latent form and practically does not manifest itself. In the acute period, the disease is quite rare. Very often these people have a weak immune system or are HIV positive. In acute form it causes the following symptoms:

• high body temperature;
• enlarged lymph nodes, spleen, liver;
• a rash or signs of jaundice appear on the body;
• vision problems;
• lethargy, drowsiness, decreased muscle tone.

These symptoms can appear in other diseases, so doubts arise: whether it is necessary to treat toxoplasmosis or whether it is better to start curing for other diseases. Considering that this is a rather serious disease, at the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. Inaction sometimes leads to destructive actions in the body.

Toxoplasmosis in men and women

Toxoplasmosis, in both men and women, can be congenital, chronic and acute.

In men it almost always begins acutely. And if it is not cured, it will become chronic. Usually the disease manifests itself with simple symptoms: weakness, fatigue, poor appetite, sleep disturbance. At this time, various damage processes occur in the body, and the consequences can lead to the following diseases:

• adenoma;
• cystitis;
• inflammation of the prostate;
• sometimes loss of male dysfunction.

Toxoplasmosis in women has the same symptoms: high fever, inflammation of the lymph nodes, lethargy, skin rashes, vision problems, poor appetite and sleep. But, unlike men, women are given reproductive function. Therefore, the main problem is the birth of a sick child if you do not get rid of such a diagnosis in time.

During pregnancy

If the expectant mother became infected in the 1st or 2nd trimester, then there is a high probability of spontaneous miscarriage. If infection occurs in the 3rd trimester, the child is born with the same disease. Therefore, when a pregnant woman registers at the clinic, the gynecologist always directs her to be tested for TORCH infections. Only based on the results of this analysis can the presence of antibodies be checked. And if toxoplasmosis is detected, the consequences can be avoided by undergoing certain therapy.

In children

A child can have congenital and acquired. With congenital toxoplasmosis, the baby's nervous system may be affected, which leads to involuntary seizures. Quite often, children with this disease suffer from various types of eye pathologies. And its effect on the baby’s brain is so great that children are often born with hydrocephalus, dementia, and autism.

Acquired disease in children usually manifests itself in an acute form: fever, rash, chills, etc. And if this is not detected in time, the disease becomes chronic, destroying the child’s body from the inside, leading to diseases of the central nervous system and various organs.

Children are restless creatures and keeping track of them is not so easy. Dirty hands in the mouth or kissing a cat cannot always be prevented. Toxoplasmosis is detected in children by passing a certain test for TORCH infections.

Diagnostics

Toxoplasmosis cannot be determined by conventional clinical blood and urine tests. Today, diagnosis is carried out using certain methods of laboratory and allergic research:

• serological study;
• indirect immunofluorescence method;
• indirect hemagglutination reaction;
• intradermal test.

If tests confirm the presence of toxoplasma in the body, you should consult an infectious disease doctor. The specialist knows how to cure toxoplasmosis and with what drugs. You should not self-medicate.

Treatment

No special recommendations on nutrition or regimen are required. It all depends on the symptoms and the degree of impact on individual organs. If the disease manifests itself acutely, then treatment of the disease in adults is best done in a hospital. Prescribe pyrimethamine with sulfadiazine, or doxycycline with spiramycin. Only when using these drugs do half of the patients experience allergic reactions. These can be various skin rashes. Sometimes problems arise with the circulatory system. Therefore, treatment is prescribed in several cycles, at intervals of one and a half weeks.

The full course of treatment must be carried out under the strict supervision of an infectious disease specialist. If there are problems with the eyes due to toxoplasmosis, then treatment is agreed with the ophthalmologist. And so, for each disease, a specialist doctor is involved. This is due to the fact that various kinds of pathological reactions may occur, and it is necessary to prescribe additional drugs.

Whether toxoplasmosis can be cured and whether it needs to be treated depends on the individual case. If the disease is acute, then the therapy used removes the main symptoms, and treatment of toxoplasma gives a positive result. But it is much worse if the diagnosis showed toxoplasmosis in a chronic form. In such cases, antiallergic drugs and agents to enhance immunity are used.

It is difficult to insure yourself, given that the peculiarity of toxoplasmosis is its ability to quickly spread and multiply. But you will not be overcome by toxoplasmosis, the prevention of which will be observed by following basic rules of personal hygiene.

• You should always wash your hands thoroughly. This is especially important after contact with animals or work in the garden.
• Vegetables and fruits should always be washed, even if they look clean.
• Meat that has not been properly cooked is a source of infection. Therefore, you should not eat raw meat or meat products. And even more so try the minced meat.
• The pet may be infected. Therefore, you should not kiss him. And you only need to clean your pet’s toilet using gloves. Prevention of toxoplasmosis in animals is also an important point. Today, there are certain tests for animals that are taken at a veterinary clinic. And if toxoplasmosis is detected, treatment is also possible.

Prevention of toxoplasmosis is very important for every person, because it can either manifest itself or not show signs for a long time.

A person can live for years with this infection and only a doctor can prescribe competent treatment that will lead the body to healing.