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→Clinical Signs
===Clinical Signs===
===Clinical Signs===
Most people with a healthy immune system have few symptoms and recover fully. Children born with congenital toxoplasmosis may be severely ill and die shortly after birth, or they may have no symptoms until months or years later. Some never become ill. Typical symptoms in newborns can include inflammation of the eyes (chorioretinitis), which can result in blindness, as well as enlargement of the liver and spleen, jaundice, rash, easy bruising, seizures, a large or small head, and mental retardation.
Most healthy humans that become infected with ''Toxoplasma gondii'' have few symptoms and fully recover. However, when clinical disease does occur, there are several manifestations.
Acute toxoplasmosis: Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, but 10 to 20% of patients develop bilateral, nontender cervical or axillary lymphadenopathy. A few of these also have a mild flu-like syndrome of fever, malaise, myalgia, hepatosplenomegaly, and less commonly, pharyngitis, which may mimic infectious mononucleosis. Atypical lymphocytosis, mild anemia, leukopenia, and slightly elevated liver enzymes are common. The syndrome may persist for weeks but is almost always self-limited.
Acute toxoplasmosis: Acute infection is usually asymptomatic, but 10 to 20% of patients develop bilateral, nontender cervical or axillary lymphadenopathy. A few of these also have a mild flu-like syndrome of fever, malaise, myalgia, hepatosplenomegaly, and less commonly, pharyngitis, which may mimic infectious mononucleosis. Atypical lymphocytosis, mild anemia, leukopenia, and slightly elevated liver enzymes are common. The syndrome may persist for weeks but is almost always self-limited.
mmune system dysfunction (eg, people infected with human immunodeficiency virus). In these individuals, toxoplasmosis usually presents as meningoencephalitis and results from the emergence of T gondii from tissue cysts located in the brain as immunity wanes rather than from primary T gondii infection. Toxoplasmosis is also a major concern for pregnant women because tachyzoites can migrate transplacentally and cause birth defects in human fetuses.
mmune system dysfunction (eg, people infected with human immunodeficiency virus). In these individuals, toxoplasmosis usually presents as meningoencephalitis and results from the emergence of T gondii from tissue cysts located in the brain as immunity wanes rather than from primary T gondii infection. Toxoplasmosis is also a major concern for pregnant women because tachyzoites can migrate transplacentally and cause birth defects in human fetuses.
people with a healthy immune system have few symptoms and recover fully. Children born with congenital toxoplasmosis may be severely ill and die shortly after birth, or they may have no symptoms until months or years later. Some never become ill. Typical symptoms in newborns can include inflammation of the eyes (chorioretinitis), which can result in blindness, as well as enlargement of the liver and spleen, jaundice, rash, easy bruising, seizures, a large or small head, and mental retardation.
Toxoplasmosis acquired after birth in people with a healthy immune system seldom causes symptoms. When symptoms occur, they are usually mild and include swollen but painless lymph nodes, intermittent low fevers, a vague ill feeling, and sometimes a sore throat. Some people develop only chorioretinitis, with blurred vision, eye pain, and sensitivity to light. Chorioretinitis usually results from reactivation of congenital toxoplasmosis.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis in people with a weakened immune system depend on the site of infection. Toxoplasmosis of the brain (encephalitis) produces symptoms such as weakness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, headache, confusion, seizures, and coma. Acute disseminated toxoplasmosis can cause a rash, high fever, chills, trouble breathing, and fatigue. In some people, infection causes inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), lungs (pneumonitis), or heart (myocarditis). The affected organ may stop functioning adequately (called organ failure). These types of toxoplasmosis can be life threatening.
===Laboratory Tests===
===Laboratory Tests===