What are bradyzoites and tachyzoites?
Tachyzoites (tachos = fast) refer to the rapidly growing life stage of T. gondii that has also been called endozoites or trophozoites. Bradyzoites (brady = slow), also called cystozoites, are the life stage found in the tissue cyst and are believed to replicate slowly.
What are the signs of congenital Toxoplasma infection in infants?
Symptoms may include:
- Enlarged liver and spleen.
- Vomiting.
- Eye damage from inflammation of the retina or other parts of the eye.
- Feeding problems.
- Hearing loss.
- Jaundice (yellow skin)
- Low birth weight (intrauterine growth restriction)
- Skin rash (tiny red spots or bruising) at birth.
What are the characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii?
Toxoplasma gondii is an intestinal coccidium that parasitizes members of the cat family as definitive hosts and has a wide range of intermediate hosts. Infection is common in many warm-blooded animals, including humans. In most cases infection is asymptomatic, but devastating disease can occur.
What does Toxoplasma gondii do to humans?
When a person becomes infected with T. gondii , the parasite forms cysts that can affect almost any part of the body — often your brain and muscle tissue of different organs, including the heart. If you’re generally healthy, your immune system keeps the parasites in check.
What does toxoplasmosis do to a baby?
Toxoplasmosis can cause problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage, preterm birth or stillbirth. Most babies born with toxoplasmosis have no symptoms. Symptoms can include eye infections, swollen glands, liver or spleen, or jaundice.
How common is ocular toxoplasmosis?
Ocular toxoplasmosis occurs as a consequence of Toxoplasma gondii infection. T. gondii, an obligate intracellular parasite, is estimated to infect at least one billion people worldwide. At least 25% of individuals who have T.
What does Toxoplasma gondii infect?
What are the clinical manifestations of toxoplasmosis?
Signs and symptoms of ocular toxoplasmosis can include reduced vision, blurred vision, pain (often with bright light), redness of the eye, and sometimes tearing. Ophthalmologists sometimes prescribe medicine to treat active disease.
What protozoan causes toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects most species of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and causes the disease toxoplasmosis.