Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. Researchfirst published in May 2022 shows the prevalence of eye infections caused by parasites in Australian adults. The parasite is known to cause infections globally in many species of birds, mammals, and humans.
A parasite is a living organism that needs a host for food and nutrients.2 There are three types of parasites that can affect humans, including protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa are single-celled organisms that multiply in humans and can develop serious infections.
Helminths are multinucleated organisms that are visible to the naked eye in the adult stage. These include flatworms, gnats, and roundworms. Parasites are blood-sucking arthropods such as ticks, lice, ticks, and fleas. According to CDC,3 Malaria causes more deaths globally than any other parasitic disease.
Most malaria deaths occur in children living in sub-Saharan Africa. However, other parasitic infections are also found around the world. Doctors use several different types of tests to identify parasitic diseases, including a stool sample, colonoscopy or colonoscopy, blood tests, and imaging studies to look for lesions.4
Parasitic diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans or from person to person, or can be acquired from the environment.5 Animal transmission can also occur when meat is infected and used for food, for example, cryptosporidium or trichinella is found in cows or pigs. The outstanding study analyzed the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, a common parasite worldwide.6
Clinical evidence of common parasitic infections in Australia
Toxoplasma gondii is a microscopic parasite that is considered “the most successful parasite in the world today”.7 This is the result of the parasite being able to infect almost any mammal, bird or human species around the world. And, because there is no known treatment that will get rid of the parasite, the host will carry Toxoplasma for life.
Currently, there are no vaccines approved for use in animals8 or human9 that can prevent infection. Experts have estimatedten that Toxoplasma prevalence in humans can range from 10% of the world’s population to 80%, depending on the country being studied. Low seroprevalence has been demonstrated in Northern Europe, North America, Southeast Asia and Africa between the Sahara and Sudan.
Areas of the world with higher rates of infection include central and southern Europe, Latin America, and tropical Africa. Objectives of the research stand out11 was to determine an estimate of the prevalence of Toxoplasma retinitis in Australia. Toxoplasma retinitis is a common clinical presentation whose epidemiology has not been widely reported.
The infection causes inflammation and permanent scarring of the retina, also known as ocular toxoplasmosis.twelfth It can cause recurrent uveitis, which is characterized by necrotizing retinitis and pigmented scarring, accompanied by vasculitis and vitreous inflammation.13
Usually, an easy diagnosis is made by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Featured study used blood test for antibodies to confirm diagnosis,14 Despite the high prevalence of seroprevalence in the general population, this may render the test generally undiagnosed.15
The researchers used data from the community-based, cross-sectional Busselton Aging Health Study.16 In the parent study, the researchers wrote that Toxoplasma gondii was identified as “the leading neglected parasitic infection.”17
The goal is to determine infection rates and identify risk factors for the population. The results of the parent study showed that 66% of the subjects were seropositive for IgG and IgM antibodies. The researchers also found that the older the participants were, the more likely they were to become infected. The incidence increased from 44.4% in 18 to 34 year olds to 81% in 75 to 84 year olds.
The researchers in the featured study gathered data from retinal photographs taken after pupil dilation to assess the presence or absence of lesions known to be common with retinitis. conjunctiva due to toxoplasma. An estimated 1 in 149 people, or 0.67%, had characteristic lesions and detectable serum levels consistent with the diagnosis, the researchers found.
Based on the prevalence found in the sample size, the researchers concluded that the effort “to quantify and address risk factors for human T. gondii infection is justified.”18
Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis in the Eye
Ocular toxoplasmosis is the leading cause of uveitis worldwide and a common reason for vision loss following intraocular infection.19 Symptoms of this condition usually appear when a person is 20 to 40 years old.
Usually, the ophthalmologist will examine an area of necrotizing retinitis close to the pigmented urinary scar. There may also be satellite lesions, ocular hypertension, or widespread vasculitis. Some people have no symptoms, while others will complain of blurred vision, red eyes, swollen glands, or pain.20 Up to 24% of patients see an ophthalmologist with 20/200 vision or worse.
The infection may be dormant for a period of time and then reactivate on the boundary of the old scar. Unfortunately, the recurrence rate can be as high as 79%, but while no treatment is known to get rid of the parasites, those who have treated for ocular toxoplasmosis have significantly reduced recurrence rates. broadcast.21
In many cases, the infection is self-limited and may not require treatment. However, if vision is threatened, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids, sulfadiazine, and pyrimethamine.22 However, there is “significant toxicity” with this regimen.23 A documentary review24 suggests that treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is also effective with improved safety and may help prevent recurrence.
How does Toxoplasma Gondii pass?
Toxoplasmosis can infect nearly all warm-blooded animals. However, the American Veterinary Medical Association25 indicates that all felines are precise hosts for the parasite. “This means they are the only animals that pass the oocyte, the parasite’s resistant stage to the environment, in their feces to infect other animals (including humans).”26
When cats prey on infected small animals, they infect themselves. Domestic cats can become infected by eating undercooked or shredded meat. The cat developed cysts inside tissue infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Initially, a cat may shed millions of egg cells in the feces, exposing other animals and people to the parasite. This is the thick-walled stage in the life cycle of the parasite.
After the initial period, most cats stop transferring eggs and can be completely healthy. Other cats may show symptoms of liver damage, pneumonia, or other health conditions.
These follicles can survive in the environment for long periods of time. When cat feces are consumed by livestock, the parasites can migrate to muscles and survive after the animal is slaughtered.27 Humans can become infected by drinking contaminated water, eating infected meat, or eating fresh produce containing oocytes.
Concerns about infection during pregnancy
While most people have no symptoms after being infected with Toxoplasma gondii, infection in the months before pregnancy or early in pregnancy is of particular concern. According to the March of Dimes, toxoplasmosis can be passed to your unborn baby if you become infected within six months of becoming pregnant.28 This can cause premature birth, stillbirth, or miscarriage.
The risk of transmission to the baby depends on when the mother is infected. The later a woman is infected in pregnancy, the higher the chance that her baby will also get toxoplasma. However, an earlier infection can lead to more serious problems, including damage to the brain, liver, and eyes.
According to the March of Dimes, “Up to 1 in 2 infants (50%) with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy are born premature (preterm).”29 Up to 10% of infants infected during pregnancy may have symptoms including swelling of the liver and spleen, swollen lymph nodes, feeding difficulties, low birth weight, or seizures.
Newborns can also have neurological problems such as hydrocephalus, microcephaly, or microcephaly. Hydrocephalus, also known as hydrocephalus, occurs when too much cerebrospinal fluid puts pressure on the brain.
Macrocephaly is a large head size and microcephaly is smaller than normal head size. Infants known to carry toxoplasmosis can also develop symptoms later in life, including intellectual or developmental disabilities, eye infections, vision problems, seizures, or hearing loss .
Studies have also investigated some of the more common congenital infections known to cause neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy. These infections are the acronym TORCH – toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus.30
Steps to help prevent Toxoplasmosis
After being infected with toxoplasmosis, most adults do not have any symptoms. However, some people may have flu-like symptoms, such as sore throat, swollen glands, muscle aches, and high temperature.thirty first People with this condition usually clear up on their own within 6 weeks. You should see your doctor if you begin to have vision changes, are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or have a weakened immune system.
Routine checkups are not necessary but contact your doctor if you have symptoms. They may do a blood test to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG). If it’s important to determine when you’re infected, your doctor may order an immunoglobulin M (IgM) test. You can take several steps to prevent toxoplasmosis.32,33
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Cover any outdoor sandboxes when they are not in use. Stray cats often use them as litter boxes. |
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Wear gloves when you work outside. |
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Wash your hands after gardening or going outside, especially before preparing food. |
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Wash your hands carefully whenever you touch cats, soil, or raw meat. |
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Avoid touching your face when working with raw meat or produce. |
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Clean anything that comes in contact with raw meat with hot, soapy water. Clean all work surfaces and tools with hot soapy water after they have been used with raw meat, fruit or vegetables. |
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Cook meat and poultry until cooked through and the water runs clear. |
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Avoid processed meats like Parma ham or salami. |
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Avoid drinking contaminated or untreated water. |
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Wash or remove the peel on all fruits and vegetables. |
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Control the number of flies and cockroaches in your home as much as possible. These insects can spread parasites into food. |
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Do not eat raw or contaminated shellfish. |
If at risk, you should take extra precautions to avoid infection. They may include:
- Keep your cat indoors so it doesn’t get infected
- Feed your cat dry or canned food and avoid a raw meat diet because, like people, cats can become infected from raw meat.
- Avoid feral cats
- When you’re pregnant, ask someone else to clean up
- If you must clean the litter box, wear gloves to clean the litter box daily, disinfect it with boiling water for five minutes, and wash your hands carefully with warm soapy water afterward.
