Congenital toxoplasmosis

Definition:

A grouping of findings caused by infection of the fetus with the organism Toxoplasma gondii.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Fetal infection with toxoplasmosis results when a nonimmune pregnant mother is initially infected with toxoplasmosis. For the mother the disease is generally mild and may not be evident. Infection of the fetus, however, can cause severe problems. Infection early in pregnancy results in more severe problems than later infection.

Congenital toxoplasmosis is characterized by damage to the eyes, nervous system, skin, and ears. The newborn often has a low birth weight, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, anemia, petechiae (fine red dots in the skin caused by bleeding of the capillaries), and eye damage evidenced by of inflammation of the retina.