Acquired toxoplasmosis (clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment)
Kazantsev, A.P.
Meditsinskaia Parazitologiia i Parazitarnye Bolezni 48(5): 34-40
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-8326 PMID: 537583 Document Number: 147101
Observations of 937 patients with chronic and acute forms of acquired toxoplasmosis treated in an infectious disease hospital demonstrated the importance of this infection for physicians of various specialities. In only 9.3% of the patients was the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis established within 1 yr of the onset. In the large majority of the patients from 5-15 yr passed from the onset of the disease and to the recognition of toxoplasmosis. The following forms of toxoplasmosis should be distinguished: primary latent, primary chronic, acute, secondary chronic and secondary latent (with or without residuals). No isolated organ forms of toxoplasmosis (ophthalmic, myocarditic, neuro-toxoplasmosis, etc.) existed; their separation contributes to diagnostic errors. Acute toxoplasmosis was observed in 2 of 937 patients. Most permanent manifestations of chronic toxoplasmosis include subfebrile state (89.4%), lymphadenopathy (87.8%), involvement of the cardiovascular system (89.6%), hepatomegaly (67%), disorders in different parts of the nervous system (90-95%). As latent toxoplasmosis is widely prevalent (about 25% of the population is infected), the most important indicators for the diagnosis are the characteristic clinical symptoms, not the demonstration of positive reactions for toxoplasmosis. Etiotropic therapy in chronic toxoplasmosis is not effective. A composite method of treatment including vaccination therapy results in stable recovery in 75% of the patients (observations of remote results up to 15 yr) after the first course of treatment. Relapses within a year after treatment occurred only in 1% of the patients. Two or more relapses were very rare. Only 3 of 937 patients were incapacitated.