• congenital toxoplasmosis causes chorioretinitis, fever, jaundice, rash, and brain damage

DIAGNOSIS

• based on clinical signs, as well as on demonstration of the organism in body tissues or fluids

INFECTIOUS AGENT

• Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite

• cats and other felines are reservoirs

• intermediate hosts are sheep, goats, rodents, swine, cattle, chicken, and birds

MODE OF TRANSMISSION

• ingestion of oocysts (on fingers or in food contaminated with cat feces) or cysts in raw or undercooked meat

• transplacental transmission

• transmission through blood transfusion and tissue transplantations has been reported

• not directly transmitted from person to person (except in utero)

DISTRIBUTION

• worldwide

• prevalence of seropositivity is higher in warm, humid climates and is influenced by presence of cats and by eating habits

INCUBATION PERIOD

• 1 to 3 weeks

TREATMENT

• antiparasitic agents (pyrimethamine plus sulfadiazine) for persons with severe disease

• no treatment is needed for most healthy, immunocompetent hosts

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

• thorough cooking of meats

• daily disposal of cat feces and disinfection of litter pans (pregnant women should avoid contact with litter pans)

• thorough hand washing after handling of raw meat

• prophylactic treatment for patients with HIV disease

FACTORS FACILITATING EMERGENCE

• immunosuppression

• increase in cats as pets