Toxoplasmosis

Symptoms:

In non-immunosuppressed :

• mild febrile illness resembling mononucleosis
• enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck
• headache
• sore throat
• muscle pain

In congenital infection:

• central nervous system disorders
• enlarged liver or spleen
• rash, fever, jaundice, anemia
• inflammation of the retina of the eye
• psychomotor and learning disorders (may not appear until later)

In an immunosuppressed person:

• brain lesions are associated with fever, headache, confusion, seizures, and abnormal neurological findings
• retinal inflammation causing blurred vision

Signs and tests:

Tests to determine infection or presence of cysts:

• serologic titers for toxoplasmosis
• MRI of head
• cranial CT scan
• brain biopsy
• slit lamp examination reveals characteristic retinal lesions

Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial