Toxoplasmosis natural history, complications and prognosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2]

If left untreated in people with a weakened immune system, such as those infected with HIV, and fetuses, the disease can become seriously ill, and occasionally be fatal. The parasite can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and neurologic diseases and can affect the heart, liver, and eyes (chorioretinitis). Complications that can develop as a result of toxoplasmosis are mental retardation, seizures, motor difficulties, severe vision loss, hydrocephalus or microcephalus, hearing loss. Prognosis of infection in immunocompromised individual is dependent on the severity of the disease. Severe infection causes death at an early age, asymptomatic infection will present in the 1st or 2nd decade with progressive chorioretinitis with poor prognosis.^[1]

During the first few weeks, the infection typically causes a mild flu-like illness or no illness. After the first few weeks of infection have passed, the parasite rarely causes any symptoms in otherwise healthy adults. If left untreated in people with a weakened immune system, such as those infected with HIV, and fetuses, the disease can become seriously ill, and occasionally be fatal. The parasite can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and neurologic diseases and can affect the heart, liver, and eyes (chorioretinitis).

Complications that can develop as a result of toxoplasmosis are

• Mental retardation
• Seizures
• Motor difficulties
• Severe vision loss
• Hydrocephalus or microcephalus
• hearing loss.^[1]

• Seizures
• Encephalitis
• Blindness

• Blindness

• The prognosis toxoplasmosis infection in an immunocompetent patient is good without treatment.
• Prognosis of infection in immunocompromised individual and congenital toxoplasmosis is dependent on the severity of the disease. Severe infection causes death at an early age, asymptomatic infection at birth will present in the 1st or 2nd decade with progressive chorioretinitis with poor prognosis.

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